Come What May
by Scorpia710
Summary: Harry's life is turned around and upside down when a late night visitor from the future tells him the unthinkable. Now he must convince Snape to teach him Occlumency, get along with Draco Malfoy and survive through what Voldemort has planned for him. AU
1. Chapter 1: Consequences

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor. Torches on the otherwise bare walls illuminated the darkness.

A slim, teenaged boy with raven-colored hair over his forehead rushed through.

Had there been any onlookers, they would have seen that his posture was stiff and his hands clenched. But nobody was looking. In fact, anyone having cause to think of him at that moment would assume that he was safe in his bed.

At the end of the corridor, he suddenly turned, at first looking around, then standing very still, listening. But whatever he was expecting wasn't there, so he continued on. After walking a few feet further, he turned again, his emerald eyes flashing with anger and a just touch of unease.

After a third length of the corridor in this manner, a door suddenly materialised on his right. Backtracking, he wrenched the door open, and without looking to see if anybody else had witnessed it, he walked through. The room he entered was similar in appearance to the Gryffindor common room, except that it had only one chair and a side table near the large fireplace.

He knew that this room could provide what he needed most, and right now, all Harry needed was to get away from everyone - and Snape in particular. The room he had entered, the Room of Requirement, was the ideal place to escape to.

Now, Harry remembered what had brought him here: Snape. He shook with rage at the very thought of the Potions Master as he paced back and forth. It was late and he was tired, but his emotions kept him standing.

What he had just seen confused him. It seemed that Snape had been submitted to just as much humiliation in his youth as he had.

Harry couldn't begin to count the times when Dudley and his gang had mocked him for having no parents, or for his over-sized clothes - clothes which had originally belonged to Dudley.

And now it appeared that - just like Harry's odious cousin - James Potter had really been as mean and arrogant as Snape had always claimed! After seeing the memory in Snape's pensieve, Harry found his father's actions hard to ignore.

He didn't like what he had just seen.

His mind whirled. How could his mother marry someone that humiliated people just because his best friend said he was bored? And what had Sirius been doing? Why didn't he stop James instead of encouraging him? At the very least, Remus should have said something! He was supposed to be the perfect prefect.

Everything he'd thought his father was seemed to crash around him, leaving Harry feeling very unsure of himself.

Sirius had said so many times that Harry was just like his father. But now...Harry wasn't sure he wanted to be like him at all. After trying so hard to emulate his parents, after so much asking...begging people to tell him more about them, he found this!

He stopped pacing.

A cold chill ran down Harry's skin, so he went to the fireplace and with one quick flick of his wand, he had himself a nice fire.

Satisfied with the warming blaze, Harry took a seat in the lonely chair, wishing he had some hot cocoa. No sooner had the thought occurred than a mug of cocoa appeared right beside him. It even had the little marshmallows that he loved and he spent the next few minutes enjoying its smooth, chocolate goodness,

A faint pounding started in his head and he set his cup down on the side table. Taking his glasses off, he rubbed at his eyes. Occlumency lessons with Snape had gone horribly. No, this was the worst 'almost' lesson Harry had ever had, for they hadn't even begun the real lesson.

_It _is_ your fault, though, _he admitted to himself_. If only you hadn't given in to your cursed curiosity! _

He sometimes found it disturbing that his conscience sounded like Hermione. Then he realised that Hermione would be very upset when she found out his Occlumency lessons had come to such an abrupt end. Ron would understand, but Hermione…not so much. He could already hear her reprimanding him.

He would never hear the end of it.

Dumbledore would react even worse than Hermione. Harry could see him now, sitting in his high-backed chair, staring at Harry with deeply disappointed blue eyes.

He shifted in his seat. Maybe if Dumbledore had told him what he was planning - told him anything, for that matter - maybe he would have not felt the urgent need to look in the pensieve.

_But how would you like it if somebody viewed your private thoughts?_ his conscience demanded.

Oh, honestly, this is Snape!

_You think that he's so far from human that he doesn't have feelings?_

Harry groaned, and suddenly felt uncomfortable. He was being put on the spot by his own conscience! He leaned back into the chair and ran a hand through his hair.

"God, I'm pathetic!"

The outburst sounded loud in the silent room, and the unexpected reply sounded even louder.

"I agree."

Harry jumped out of the chair and spun around to where the voice had came from, upsetting the side table as he did so. He couldn't believe his eyes as he held his wand over the intruder.

"I hope your face doesn't get stuck like that or we'll never get married," the intruder said. Harry snapped his mouth shut, wondering for a second what the married comment was supposed to mean.

But really, there could be no doubt. Because standing right in front of Harry was a slim, tall replica of…himself.

At least, he _looked _like an older version of Harry. The only things different were his height, clothes, missing glasses and the way he held himself. The replica's hair was brushed over his forehead to hide the lightning bolt scar.

His hands were thrust in his blue denim jacket, and his aged green eyes and tired face spoke volumes for whatever he'd been through .

"Who are you? What do you want?" Harry was sure this was a Death Eater trick.

The replica stepped forward and Harry raised his wand threateningly. "I'm you," he replied, "and to answer your second question....I need you to lower your wand first."

Harry snorted loudly, a grim smile coming over his features. "You think I'm stupid enough to do that?"

The man's green eyes narrowed to slits. "You were stupid enough to look in the pensieve. Yes, I know about that, so pick your jaw up of the floor and listen to me, I--."

But before he could say anything further, Harry had jumped forward and poked his wand into the man's chest, right above his heart. " No, you listen to me!" Harry growled, he heart pounding. "I want to know who you really are, why you're here, and how you got here!"

_If he gets nasty I can tie him in ropes and..._

Quicker than anything Harry had ever seen, the man grabbed his arm and tossed him over his back. As he lay on the floor, the replica snatched up his wand, gathered the front of Harry's robes in one fist and pulled the stumbling teen over towards the chair he had been sitting in so peacefully before.

Roughly, the man pushed him into the chair. Harry tried to get up and to his utter surprise, the man slapped him! He gasped, for the resolute force behind the slap made his face sting horribly.

The stranger was panting slightly as he lowered himself to Harry's level, grabbed his chin, and stared straight at him. His eyes were deadly.

"You're in no position to make demands," he said. "You will listen willingly, or I'll make you. Which one is it going to be?"

Harry didn't say anything, but the man didn't need an answer. He straightened up and rubbed his left arm with his right, making a pained face as he did so.

Harry was scared stiff. Who was he and what did he want? Was he a kidnapper? One of Voldemort's minions? If Harry yelled, nobody would hear. The entire castle was asleep... This thought made his breath quicken.

The man shook his head in annoyance. He was looking at Harry as if he were a puzzle.

"What do you want me to tell you so you'll believe me when I say that I'm you?"

The teenaged Harry stared at the man incredulously. One second he was slapping him and now he wanted to be friendly?

The dark-haired stranger sighed at his look. With a quick wave of Harry's wand, a plain wooden chair appeared and he wearily sat down. Leaning back in the chair, he closed his eyes. Harry briefly thought of trying to get away.

"Move and suffer my wrath."

_So much for that idea,_ thought Harry. He sat absolutely still.

"Let's see...something only I would know," the man muttered to himself. He stood a few second later and pulled the chair closer to Harry.

"In second year, Hermione stole the ingredients to make the Polyjuice potion while me and Ron created a diversion. When you told Sirius that you wanted to live with him, it was mainly because of the Dursleys. You like Ginny, but don't want to say anything because you think that Ron will disapprove."

The man took a deep breath and then continued.

"You slept in a cupboard before the Hogwarts letter came, and sometimes you miss it. You wanted to be a train driver, then a pianist, then a magician when you were younger. You used to do everything you could think of to make Petunia love you before you gave up. You used to wish that Professor Snape would learn how to like you. Now you think yourself stupid for ever wishing that."

Harry's mouth had initially fallen open at the revelations, but the stranger's final words made it snap shut.

"Is that enough for you?" The man - Harry - asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I...Why are you here?" demanded the younger Potter.

A short sigh. "We keep coming back to that don't we? I have come to change our future." Once again, Harry stared at his future self incredulously.

"What!" he shouted. "What's so wrong with my future that you had to come back and change it?"

The older Potter ran a hand through his messy locks - just like Harry had a while ago. It seemed as if he was trying to work out what to say.

"Some terrible things are going to happen in your future," said the elder Harry, finally. "I came back to try and stop them."

"Terrible things? Like what?" Harry challenged. He was still having a hard time believing that this man was his an older version of himself.

The man stared at Harry so intently that the boy began to feel uncomfortable, then said, "I can't - _won't_ tell you how they happen but..."

He took a deep breath. "...people you love die...your wife dies in your arms and you...turn bitter. You lose your friends because they're either killed or just can't stand to be around you anymore. Your children are murdered before your eyes…and when somebody comes and asks you for forgiveness, you throw him to the dogs."

He wasn't looking at Harry as he related his fate.

"I...woul...." began the boy, but was abruptly interrupted.

"Wouldn't do that?" The black-haired man didn't look sympathetic. "Oh, but you do. You turn your back on everybody you ever trusted and when they try to help...you tell them to leave and never come back - and they do leave. Ron dies trying to protect you and Hermione can't stand the wizarding world anymore after that, so she leaves. There's no Dumbledore to run to now...no, he's been dead for years."

Harry watched the man, hoping that he was bluffing, but his new 'acquaintance' was caught up in memories so terrible that he didn't even notice. There was a desperation in his eyes that reminded Harry of Sirius when they had first met in the Shrieking Shack, when as a fugitive he'd desperately tried to convince Harry of his innocence.

"Ginny…" he trailed off. "I never got to say goodbye."

Harry mouthed 'goodbye?' then realization came and he saw the man swallow hard, and he watched dazedly as his body slowly slid down the wall, emotional agony written all over his face. Harry himself felt numb. Ginny was going to die? In _his_ arms no less! How would Ron die? Who did he end up throwing to the dogs?

Harry sat down on the floor. He didn't even remember standing up. Too much information in so little time.

If any of this happened... but no! Harry couldn't risk it happening. It would surely kill him. He didn't want to become bitter and angry at the world, didn't want to turn into the desperate figure that was the man now sharing the room with him.

He took a deep, shaky breath. Looking towards the corner, he saw his future self staring into space with a blank unemotional face. He didn't want that to be him one day. "What...should I do?"

Slowly the man turned to look at him and, after studying him for a moment, nodded to himself.

"This is going to sound really mad, but....I need you to trust Severus Snape."

As Harry gaped he continued in a stern voice. "You _have_ to learn Occlumency and Professor Snape is the best person to learn it from. I know he's tough..." Harry snorted and the older Harry glared at him as he stressed the next word. "..._but, _he really is the best there is, besides Voldemort. So unless you want to be responsible for Sirius's death and many others, I suggest you learn it."

Harry was shocked but he still managed to choke out, "Sirius dies...because of me?"

The older Harry turned away without answering. "If you play this game right, you might still be able to live with him."

Harry was thinking this over when he felt his future self watching him. Green eyes met green.

"Professor Snape's not very happy with me at the moment," Harry said carefully.

"I wonder why," the man returned dryly.

"What do I do?"

"That's for you to decide. Just remember to keep your temper and...Harry?"

Harry regarded his older self warily. "Yes?"

"Severus Snape is a magnificent spy, but he has to keep up a constant appearance that he hates you. So don't hate him for that. He's just doing his job. And don't forget, you haven't exactly given him any reason to like you."

Harry thought that over before nodding. The older man suddenly shimmered. A pale light rolled over his skin before disappearing and Harry stepped back in alarm. After quickly checking his dirty watch, the grim-faced man looked at Harry.

"I've got to go now. I'll see you tomorrow. Same time, same place. Don't forget to apologise to Snape. Beg if you must. Do whatever you have to, as long as you get him to teach you Occlumency."

Before Harry could so much as reply to that, his older self disappeared. "Bye," he said to the empty room.

_Edited by Kara's Aunty to make it more Brit, re-posted Dec 29__th__. Thank you. _


	2. Chapter 2: The Apology

Harry couldn't sleep. He had tried everything, but no matter which way he turned or how many sheep he counted, sleep just wouldn't come. His head swirled mercilessly with the words that his future self had said.

So unless you want to be responsible for Sirius's death and many others...

He shivered under the blankets. The dire seriousness of the situation hadn't hit home until an hour later, and now he couldn't stop himself from thinking about it. If he didn't learn Occlumency, people would die. The lives of many rested on his scrawny shoulders. It was enough to keep anybody from falling asleep. He turned over and glared at Ron's back, but the heavily sleeping teen never noticed.

Harry's mind felt disconnected from the rest of his body. His eyes were heavy, but he couldn't close them. Why couldn't his future self have given him some help? Or at least advice on how to deal with Snape?

A huge snore from Ron made Harry jump so violently that he fell out of his bed. He groaned from his new position on the floor and laid his head on his crossed arms. He was too tired to get up and the cool carpet felt nice against his hot flesh. He sighed a little. What in the world was he going to do?

Well, Snape liked respect.

If Harry wanted to show respect for Snape, he would have to apologize for poking around in what wasn't his to see. But how should I he go about it?

"Professor, I need to apologise," he said quietly, trying the words out. They seemed too loud in the quietness of the dormitory. No, that won't work, he thought to himself. He didn't want to sound like he was being forced to apologise, even though he was, really.

Very Slytherin, he thought with a grimace.

He tried again, "Professor, I want to apologise." That sounded better, because now he seemed as if he wanted to apologise; as if he was doing it of his own free will. With the opening taken care of, the task of apologising to Severus Snape didn't seem too hard. Harry was satisfied several hours later. He had a draft of the apology in his head, and now all he had to do was smooth the edges.

He fell asleep soon after, his mind was more at ease and for once he didn't have nightmares.

Sniggers and sunlight surrounded Harry as he woke up. Briefly, he wondered why his bedspread smelled like dirty socks. When had it become so hard and cold? It was then that he realised the position he had taken sometime during the night. He was lying face down on the carpeted floor.

Well, he thought dryly, that certainly explains the sniggers, but why am I on th….

Suddenly, he remembered what had happened the previous evening, and if it wasn't for the smell of the carpet, he would have been quite happy to lie on the floor for the rest of the day.

"Were the carpet crawlies lonely, Harry?" Seamus asked innocently. Ron, Dean, and Seamus burst into laughter.

"Since when do you sleep on the floor, mate?" Ron asked when he was done laughing.

Harry's answer was slightly muffled because he still hadn't picked himself up off the floor, but nevertheless, everyone heard him say, "Why do you care? Is this your spot?"

Ron grinned as the other boys laughed again. Then Ron told Harry to hurry up and headed out to the bathroom.

Gradually, Harry got up and dressed himself without bothering to take a shower. He gathered his scattered homework and made his way down to the Great Hall. The table was set, but there weren't many students in the hall yet. Harry sat down. He was staring at his empty plate, lost in his thoughts, when Hermione and Ron entered the Great Hall and rushed over to him.

"Why didn't you wait for us?" Ron asked as he plopped himself down at the opposite side of the was moving to sit beside the red-haired boy, but she suddenly stopped to stare at Harry.

"You...you look terrible!" Hermione declared as she stood over him, arms laden with her usual ten or twelve books.

"Thanks," Harry said dryly, but neither of them smiled. He sighed. "I just didn't sleep well, that's all," he said to her and feeling rather worried about the suspicious look in her eyes.

Ron snorted, "No wonder, mate. You did sleep on the floor." Thankfully, bushy-haired girl didn't seem to have heard.

"Hmm," she said as she sat down, and Harry hoped that she would leave it at that.

The mail arrived and Hermione quickly grabbed her copy of the Daily Prophet, unrolling it eagerly and glancing through it.

"Nothing," she announced a minute later. Ron grunted and Hermione frowned at him before casually asking: "So, how did Remedial Potions go?" She started loading Harry's plate with food.

"I'm not two you know," he declared indignantly, ignoring her question as he quickly pulled his plate away. She glared at him and Ron sniggered as a heap of eggs landed on the table right were Harry's plate had been.

"Could've fooled me," she muttered to her plate and Ron laughed aloud. Harry took a bite of his eggs just as she repeated her question. But thanks to Fred and George, he didn't have time to answer as he changed into a giant canary. Apparently being the twins financial backer wasn't enough to stop them from playing pranks on him.

"Fred! George!" Hermione warned the laughing twins as Harry's feathers molted. "One day somebody's going to give you a taste of your own medicine!"

"Relax Hermione, it's just a joke!" Ron said as he brushed feathers out of Harry's food.

"Ugh!" Harry exclaimed, after he was fully human again. He was looking at his feather covered food. "I don't think I'm hungry anymore."

"Aww, Harrikins isn't angry is he?" Fred asked with a playful grin.

"No, I'm not angry," he replied. "And don't call me that."

"Don't call you Harrikins?" George asked in fake puzzlement. Ron and Fred were grinning at there friend's unfortunate position. Hermione on the other hand rolled her eyes and buried her nose in one of her books.

"Yes, don't call me Harrikins!" he burst out loudly. Draco Malfoy was passing by the Gryffindor table when Harry's announcement stopped him in his tracks. The blond Slytherin laughed out loud and then moved on to spread the embarrassing nickname.

"I'm getting out of here," Harry said gruffly.

"But Harry…" said Hermione after sending a glare to the now subdued Weasleys.

"It's okay. I need to work on my Potions project, anyway." Hermione frowned but told him that she and Ron would meet him shortly for their Charms lesson.

***~*~*~***

The rookwood creates a chain reaction. If there is too much or too little…

That just didn't sound right. Harry sighed and shifted in the library chair, then he looked at the clock. He had fifteen minutes before Charms started. Well, he always got bad grades in Potions. One more wouldn't matter.

But even though one more bad grade wouldn't matter, he couldn't stop thinking about Potions.

All through Charms, he thought about what Snape could do to embarrass him, and therefore missed Professor Flitwick's warning about their new charm's peculiar side effect. When Flitwick asked him to demonstrate the charm, Harry cast the spell, and his hair turned a deep shade of purple. Apperently, it wasn't supposed to be a hair-colouring charm.

So Flitwick proceeded to lecture the entire class - and him in particular - on why Harry's spell had failed. As if that weren't enough, he even assigned him extra homework. Ron, the git, was still laughing as he, Harry, and Hermione left class.

"Harry! Would you stop dragging your feet?" Hermione exclaimed. It was after lunch, now, and they were making their way to the dungeons for their Potions class. Harry had been dreading this moment all day.

"Can't we just skip this class, Hermione? Just this once?" Ron asked whiningly.

Hermione started a lecture in her exasperated voice. This wasn't the first time she had had this argument, so Harry didn't pay too much attention. He was too busy imagining how his talk with Snape would go. Even in his imagination, the outcome didn't look good.

He looked at the Potions classroom door with dread as it loomed before him.

Still, at least his hair was back to normal.

The Slytherins shoved there way in first, leaving the Gryffindors to have the worst seats up front. Both houses were pairing up. Harry sat down quickly next to Hermione, leaving Ron, who was left standing in the isle, to take the last empty seat next to Dean.

Sorry Ron, thought Harry, but I need to get this lesson right and I can't do that without Hermione's help.

Snape silently swooped out of the shadows in the back of the room, leaving Harry with a feeling that the man had been watching him. The Head of Slytherin looked around the room with distaste. "If you did your assignment, you should have no trouble making this potion," he said in his quiet, dangerous tone. "If not…." Snape let ominous silence hang in the air.

Harry shivered slightly even though the dungeon wasn't cold. Snape threw one final glance around the room. "You have thirty minutes."

The instruction for the potion appeared on the board. For a second, all the students were still. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Snape snapped and students from both houses scrambled to get the ingredients they would need.

The Potions Master hadn't looked at Harry once and it was making him nervous.

He paid close attention to his and Hermione's potion. The last thing he needed was for it to blow up. Snape had already taken twenty points from poor Neville for letting his cauldron boil over.

Hermione was stirring the potion counter-clockwise when Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise up. Snape was watching him, he was sure of it. Hermione glanced at Harry when he stiffened beside her, but quickly turned her attention

back to their needy potion.

"Time's up," Snape said from the back of the room and the feeling that he was being watched finally left Harry. He peered into the cauldron. Thankfully, it was violet, just like the instructions said it should be.

So did Hermione look so nervous and suspicious? The professor came over to their potion last and lifted the ladle. Harry felt his heart sink as the potion stretched like glue.

Snape tsked in mock symphony as the Slytherins sniggered behind him..

"Mr. Potter, read the thirteenth instruction now, since you obviously didn't read it earlier."

"Add the simeon powder before adding the murkose root," Harry read out loud.

"Next time, read the instructions thoroughly before you attempt to brew a potion in my classroom, Potter. Is that clear?" Snape asked loudly. The Slytherins continued to snigger in the background.

"Yes, sir," Harry muttered. What else could he do? He hated the feeling of helplessness that was overcoming him. He was positive that he had added those in the correct order. But now wasn't the time to fight; he could do that later.

"It looks like Granger can thank you, Potter, for her first failed potion." declared Snape victoriously as he left them and walked to his desk.

Through his rage, Harry could faintly hear Draco Malfoy laughing. It took everything Harry had not to storm out right then and there.

Responsible for Sirius's death...Those words would haunt him for the rest of his life if he failed.

"It should have been perfect," Hermione muttered to herself as he glumly wrote down the homework Snape was assigning. He felt responsible for Hermione's newly broken record.

She was still staring into space dejectedly when Snape dismissed them. The Gryffindors tried to beat the Slytherins to the door. Everybody was eager to get away from Snape.

"You two go on ahead. I need to do something first," Harry told Ron and Hermione.

Ron didn't want to stay any longer in the dungeons than necessary, so after giving Harry a quizzical look, he fled. Hermione, however, was harder to get rid of.

"Harry," Hermione said so softly that Harry had to bend his head just to hear her.

"Gryffindor has already lost twenty points today because of Neville. This is not a good time to do something stupid."

"I don't plan on losing any points," Harry responded reassuringly. "I just need to ask a question."

She let out a huff of air before leaving the dungeons to catch up with Ron. This was it.

Come on, Harry, you can do it, he told himself in encouragement. Just muster some of that Gryffindor courage and ask him.

Setting his jaw, he approached the teacher's desk where Snape was busy marking pointedly ignored him.

He stepped closer to the desk, but the professor still didn't look up, so Harry cleared his throat.

Without looking up, Snape said, "Others might have time to waste on you, Potter, but I do not. Say what you want and then leave my presence."

Harry gulped and tried to gather his wavering courage.

"Professor, I want to apologise…"

"Don't waste your time."

Harry stared at him. The man wasn't going to make this easy. He took a deep breath and hoped that Snape hadn't heard.

"I wish to apologise to you for my conduct," Harry said, "especially this year. Honesty compels me to admit that at least a portion of the fault for our...uh, poor relationship falls on my shoulders. Whatever the original causes, I know I have given you ample reason to dislike me, particularly in the last few weeks. I want to apologise for not doing my best in your classes, particularly our remedial potions lessons."

He took a breath and hoped that Snape was actually listening. It had taken him hours to come up with this speech and even longer to memorise it. Without looking at the man, he continued.

"Whatever misconceptions I might have held, you were attempting to teach me, and I was not particularly receptive, nor did I do my assignments properly. I fear that if I fail in this, it will have dire effects on my life later, and I am well aware that I will have only myself to blame."

He dared a quick look at Snape, who had stopped writing and was now staring without emotion at his desk.

"It has also come to my attention that you might have some concerns for the information I inadvertently discovered while in our final session of remedial potions. Please believe me when I tell you that I do understand your situation, and I have no intentions of using the information in any way. Moreover, I feel compelled to apologise, as the only living Potter, for the actions of my father. Please accept my apologies, numerous and belated as they may be."

Harry sighed. There, I apologised. Well, that wasn't so bad.

"I do not have time for the witless verbal meanderings of sentimental Gryffindors."

Ouch.

"Profes--"He was cut off as Snape stood up and he gulped. He had forgotten how tall Snape was. Pointing at the door with one pale hand, the professor shouted.

"Get out!" When Harry didn't move fast enough, Snape stepped towards him menacingly and Harry stumbled backwards into a desk.

Again, the wizard pointed at the door and yelled, "Get out of my sight!"

Harry turned and ran. He ran all the way to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, and he was tempted to keep running past it. He really didn't want to deal with Umbridge right now, but he didn't have a choice. With a heartfelt sigh he entered the room.

"Mr. Potter," Umbridge purred. "You're late. What a pity. I'll just have to assign you another detention."

Feeling too worn out to argue, Harry flopped down beside Neville, refusing to meet Ron or Hermione's worried eyes as he opened his defence book. As Umbridge droned, he let his mind wander back to the recent events in the Potions classroom.

What had he done wrong? The speech had seemed alright to him. What had Snape not liked about it? Or better yet: was there anything that Snape did like? All Harry could think of during the lesson were austere black clothes, so he missed the question directed at him by Umbridge until Neville nudged him.

"Mr. Potter, I asked you a question. Do I need to add another detention for lack of attention?" He sighed deeply. Was the whole school out to get him?

"Harry, you really need to start paying attention!" Hermione scolded him later as they walked to dinner. "Umbridge has no limitation to how many detentions she will assign. You won't have time to do anything else!"

"She's right, mate," Ron said unexpectedly.

Hermione stared at him in amusement. "You've finally worked that that out, have you?"

Ron looked away and she smirked. There was a bounce in her step all the way to the Great Hall. She didn't ask her question again and Harry didn't remind her.

Worrying about the future had made Harry extra hungry, and as he set about heaping his plate and stuffing his face, his mouth was so full he couldn't even talk. Which, of course, set Hermione off on a lecture about manners...

***~*~*~***

At twenty minutes to eight that evening, Harry left the Gryffindor common room and made his way to Umbridge's office for his detention.

The halls were empty and the walk to the toad-like professor's room was quiet. He sighed wearily as he reached her office door. If he had any more encounters with Umbridge's quill, his hand would probably fall off. Resignedly, he knocked on the door and entered.

Umbridge was waiting for him and smiled wolfishly at his appearance. From a side drawer in her desk, she pulled out a long white quill. Lines again.

"Ah, Mr Potter, there you are. I want you to write with your left hand this time," she announced. "We don't want these lines to overlap the ones on the other hand, now, do we?"

It wasn't really a question, so instead of answering, Harry thought up slow, painful tortures to inflict on a certain toad wearing a pink bow.

"Write 'I must not be late.'" she informed him contentedly, placing the blood quill in Harry's hand, before returning to sit at her desk - leaving him to the dreaded task.

He found that writing with his left hand was not at all easy and the first red sentence that appeared on his hand was very messy. But, just like the first time he had used a blood quill, the cut healed immediately. That won't last long, he told himself grimly. And indeed, an hour later, although his left-handed script was much better, the cut wasn't healing itself at all and he had to bite down hard on his tongue to keep from making a sound. Umbridge came over and took his injured

hand in her chubby, uncaring ones.

"That seems good enough," she declared in satisfaction. "I'm sure you won't be late again anytime soon."

He looked at her without any revealing emotion on his face. She smiled. After she dismissed him, he made his way to the Room Of Requirement.

His future self was already there, twirling a time-turner in his hands.

"Sorry, I had detention." His future self's eyes went immediately to his right hand, but Harry held up his left. "She made me use the other one this time."

His future self nodded. "Just what we need, another scar." He looked worse then he had yesterday. The paleness of his skin clashed horribly with his dark hair and the dark smudges under his eyes could have been drawn with a marker.

"Tell me about Snape."

Harry related the manner of the apology and the predictable response he had received.

"Well, he either thinks that your not being truthful, that Dumbledore set you up to this, or possibly that you're mocking him," said his older self, enumerating carefully.

"He sounded sort of..."

"Cagey? Pensive? Guarded? He is all those things." The older Harry sighed. "Tell me, what do you know about Snape?"

Harry racked his brains. "Eh…he likes black?"

His older self sighed again and Harry really couldn't blame him. "Okay, I have a little over an hour. After tonight I won't be able to see you again."

"Why not?" Harry's eyebrows were creased.

"Last night I used a potion to come back in time, but the ingredients are so rare that I won't be able to make it again. So tonight I'm using this time-turner." He waved the small object in Harry's direction. "It's the same one you and Hermione used in third year. But these things only last for so long before their magic runs out and this one has almost had enough. Soon it won't work and I don't want to be stuck somewhere in time."

His older self sat on the floor and after a second of hesitation, Harry followed suit.

"Because I knew we wouldn't have a lot of time I wrote some things down." He handed him a rather worn book and pointed a finger at him. "Don't lose it and don't let anybody see it. In fact, once you're done with it, you should burn it." Harry looked down at the book, itching to open it, but a bit afraid of what it may say. It was brown and his initials were embossed on the cover.

"Do you have any questions?" the elder Potter asked.

Duh, Harry thought, but what he actually said was something that had been bothering him.

"Eh... how does Sirius die in your time?"

"He falls through a veil in the Department of Mysteries."

"A veil?" he asked in disbelief.

"It divides the dead from the living."

".....Oh."

Harry's future self raised one eyebrow humourlessly. "'Oh' is right. Now listen, Snape might test you to make sure you're sincerely sorry. The test could be anything. But whatever it is, don't start yelling,"

"Hey!" Harry was indignant. He didn't yell.

"I know what you're like. And don't interrupt me again."

"Sorry," he muttered in a voice that clearly said he wasn't.

"Whatever you do, don't listen in on conversations. Learn some spells that will actually cause some damage. You can't go around forever shooting disarming spells against a heard of Death Eaters, that just won't work all the time."

He nodded and hoped that he could remember all this.

"I wrote all this in that book so you wouldn't forget." This was uncanny - it was almost as if his future self had read his mind.

"There's something else that's bothering you. What is it?" Was he really that easy to read?

"Er…Well, last night you said that I…um, 'threw somebody to the dogs.'" Who was it?"

His older self glanced at him, "Dudley."

Harry almost choked in surprise and his future self rolled his eyes.

"Dudley! You're joking!" He couldn't believe that. Why would his cousin need him? Dudley hated him, why would he ever come to him for help?

"I don't joke anymore," his future self said seriously. There was an uncomfortable silence before the elder Potter broke it,

"Make sure you read that book and make sure to tell people if you start having visions - I don't mean just Hermione and

Ron. And don't be offended if Dumbledore doesn't look you in the eyes this year."

"Okay," Harry nodded, somewhat bemused.

"Right, then. Let's see, I think that's all. Oh, and don't use too many Quidditch analogies in your homework." Older Harry said dryly.

The younger Potter ignored that. "What if Snape refuses to teach me Occlumency?" he asked worriedly. What if it was all for nothing? What if Snape didn't decide to teach him and people he loved still died?

"Teach yourself," he future self said. "That's what he did. You might also think about getting in shape physically. You'd be surprised by how much it helps."

"Okay, I'll try that," Harry said, trying not too sound offended.

"'Bye then. I suppose the next time I see you, I'll be looking in the mirror."

Harry laughed as he watched his future self spin the time-turner and disappear. Looking down at the worn book, he took a deep breath. Maybe there was hope yet.

***~*~*~***

Severus Snape was a very good judge of character. He could generally tell what his students and colleagues thought or felt even without the aid of Legilimency. In fact, so good was he, that at this very moment there were only two people in Hogwarts he didn't think he had completely figured out.

Albus Dumbledore and Harry Bloody Potter.

He didn't think he would ever understand Albus and his strange ways. Everything about him was a riddle. Every miniscule action Albus took had hidden meanings. It was infuriating, but Severus was used to it by now.

But he was disappointed to find out that there might be something else to Potter, as well. Grudgingly, he admitted to himself that the speech was very well thought out and something about the way Potter had said it did seem…sincere.

One thing was for certain: throwing Potter against a wall did wonders for his vocabulary.

Since when did the boy use words like conduct and misconceptions? The boy couldn't possibly conceive that he might have done something wrong.

No, perfect Potter would never admit to doing anything wrong, Snape thought, his dislike for the boy rising like boiling water. Potter couldn't be alone in this. The speech was just not the boy's style.

The Gryffindor had undoubtedly came to him straight from Albus.

It made sense, really. Though he had mountain of respect for the old wizard, that did not change the fact that Albus Dumbledore could be a meddling old nuisance at times. And that led to what was truly offensive about the whole thing: Albus's insistence that he must work with Potter. Never mind that Snape found the boy utterly insufferable.

He sighed. He would just have to show both Albus and Potter that he would not be trifled with. But how?

A potion, of course! That was the answer. He'd just have to give Potter a taste of his own medicine.

With that happy thought, Severus Snape went back to reading the mindless essays of second year Hufflepuffs.


	3. Chapter 3: Lesson in Privacy

Harry was panting as he rounded the lake for the third time. It was a big lake and he'd been running for quite some time, but he felt he should have been able to run around at least twice more before he stopped. The ache in his side, however, persuaded him to slow to a walk. It was still early. The sky was grey and the birds were just starting to chirp.

He shivered in the morning air and wrapped his arms around himself, deciding that he wasn't going to push himself to the limit today. Maybe tomorrow he'd be able to go further. He turned and headed towards the entrance, resolving to take a shower before everybody else woke up.

An hour later, he sat at the Gryffindor table with Ron. Hermione had chosen to go to the library before classes and Ron was reading over his glanced at the head table, but Snape still wasn't there. Sighing, he looked back at his Charms textbooks. He'd been in the Great Hall now for more than an hour and Snape still hadn't shown up for breakfast. Maybe he got food sent to his rooms? Or worse, he might be somewhere planning Harry's demise.

For some reason, this made him feel even more annoyed. In addition to his tired muscles, which were starting to stiffen, he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep and was using his breakfast time to catch up on homework. Now he wished he'd finished it this morning instead of running around the lake.

The sun shone brightly through the clear ceiling. Even the weather was mocking Harry, it seemed. From his perspective, the sky should be grey and glum - like his thoughts, becauseright now, they were consumed with the conversation he'd had with his future self the previous evening.

Possible future self, he reminded himself. He really didn't want to be like the man he had seen last night in the Room of Requirement. That man was desperate and reckless.

Did he even realise the problems he could have caused? He couldn't even begin to think of the disasters that might have transpired if Malfoy, or worse, Umbridge, had seen his future self first.

"Are you cold, Harry?" Ginny asked from beside Ron. He pulled himself from his thoughts and realised that he was shivering at the idea. Forced himself to stop, Harry shook his head in reply and she went back to her conversation with her friends, allowing him to let his mind drift away again.

After his future self had left to return to his own time, Harry had stayed up late reading the manual the older man had given worn-out brown book offered help that he feared he would need, so he'd spent most of last night and the early part of this morning memorising it.

Still, he pondered, at least the book was interesting. On the first page, his future self had written in large letters, 'GET RID OF UMBRIDGE.' And while that may be difficult to accomplish, Harry was more than willing to try.

After all, he thought wickedly, there's no time like the present.

"That's an evil grin," Ron said from across the table.

Harry grinned wider and whispered to his friend: "I think it's time to get rid of Umbridge. And I think I know how." Quickly, he related his plan to the eager red-headed boy. Ron agreed immediately and they both went to find Hermione. It took longer to convince her than it did Ron, but she conceded in the end.

*~*~*~*

Their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson was directly before Potions that day and all the students arrived in plenty of time for the beginning of class. Perfect, Harry thought grimly. If Umbridge kills me, at least I won't have to worry about Snape. As he entered the room, though, he suddenly hoped that he really was doing the right thing.

"Oh Hannah, not you, too," said a voice behind him and he turned towards it. Hannah Abbott was close by. Her friend,Tracy,appeared to be upset about something, and they were speaking in low tones.

Hannah's left hand was wrapped in tell-tale white gauze strips.

He suddenly felt like he'd been drenched with ice water. He was positive that he knew how Hannah had come by her injured hand and now he was certain that he was doing the right thing - and he wasn't doing it just for himself. Umbridge was hurting his friends and it was time that somebody stopped her!

It was quiet in the classroom as everybody sat down. The toad-like professor stood up from her chair and Harry was surprised that her canary yellow sweater hadn't blinded anybody yet.

"Good afternoon!" the awful woman said cheerily.

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," the class chanted back pathetically. Umbridge smiled wider, making Harry want to throw something. Her sharp teeth gleamed menacingly, making him wonder what kind of animal she'd be if she were an Animagus.

Can you be half toad, half viper? he wondered, while sniggering behind the safety of his hand.

Just as Umbridge was about to start talking, Harry raised his right hand and Umbridge immediately looked like she smelled fresh meat. "Yes, Mr. Potter?" she asked.

"Professor, what would happen if we got attacked during class?" he asked innocently.

She frowned at him. "Mr. Potter I think..."

"I'm not done yet Professor," he interrupted her. The Gryffindors flinched. They couldn't afford to lose any more points.

"What if we did get attacked during class?" He held his hand up again as she tried to interrupt and her jaws snapped together with an audible click.

"It could happen, you know, so don't deny it. For instance, as detention you make us carve lines into our own hands with an illegal instrument."

He laughed humourlessly at her stunned expression and discreetly wiped his sweaty palm on his robe. He didn't really like making speeches; especially not the kind were he made them up as he went along.

Most of the class, besides Ron and Hermione, was staring at him in shock and awe. But a few of those who had suffered at Umbridge's hand were bravely nodding their heads in agreement.

"And to be quite honest, I wouldn't be surprised if you started cursing us, too," he added grimly.

"Mr. Potter," Umbridge said hastily, "I'm going to have to take points from Gryffindor for disrupting my class with such nonsense. Regardless of your complaints against my methods, you need to leave the rest of the students out of your personal problems."

Harry narrowed his eyes at her. "My personal problems? I'm sure that I'm not the only one here who has a problem with you." Turning to look at the rest of his classmates in challenge for affirmation of this, he said, "Am I right?"

A few nodded warily, obviously torn. They wanted to agree with him but they didn't want detention. But Harry knew that he would need more people to help him if he wanted to get rid of her.

"Mr. Potter, you are trying to cause an uprising in my class..."

"Don't try to make me look like the bad guy here," He warned, waving his injured hands at her.

"Detention, Mr. Po..."

"Okay, new plan," he said, interrupting Umbridge once again. He stood up and took his wand from his jeans pocket. All around him the class stared in amazement, except for Hermione and Ron.

Umbridge immediately started sprinting towards him, practically stumbling over her own hideously sequined boots in her haste. "What do you think you are doing, Mr. Potter?" she demanded in outrage.

"Ignoring you, for a start," he said before turning away from her to face the rest of his class. "Who wants to practice real curses and charms?"

Ron, Hermione, Dean, and a few others raised their hands.

"That's thirty points from Gryffindor and detention for a week, Mr. Potter!" cried the professor victoriously. "Now sit down and be quiet before I give you detention for the rest of the month, as well."

But Harry only laughed again before answering her. "Well, since you've ruined the whole points system already, there's nothing left for you to take from my House," he declared. "As for detention, you can stick that up your jumper, too. I'm not going to bother to show up and there's nothing you can do about it. I am not going to put up with you banging on about Voldemort – don't cringe – not really being back. Now, go find a kitten to strangle, or whatever it is you do for fun when there aren't any students around. "

With that, he saw the persona of the calm professor who threatened with subtlety immediately vanish. Umbridge was now fairly sputtering with rage and Harry was enjoying every second of it. The delicate shade of red on her cheeks, reminded him of Dudley, of all people. If there was one thing in school Dudley Dursley excelled at, it was driving substitute teachers up the wall. His refusal to acknowledge their authority stripped them of their ability to control the class. Half of the time, the poor substitutes were too embarrassed to get another teacher to intervene - but if they did try, the class would settle just long enough for the second teacher to leave before starting up again. None of the teachers ever seemed to realise it was only the obedience of the children that gave them any leverage in the first place.

Harry practically basked in the beauty of it all. Who would have thought he could learn something of true value from his overbearing oaf of cousin? For if Umbridge tried to hex him, it would be all out war, proving she was incapable of controlling the students. All he needed now was for a few others to follow his lead, and she would be quickly rendered even more ineffectual than Professor Binns.

And when Harry and Ron started throwing low level charms at each other, Umbridge lost any remaining vestiges of her control.

"SIT DOWN!" she screamed.

"Professor, use you're inside voice!" Hermione scolded patiently.

The other students were catching on now. They paired up as Harry instructed them and started to duel. Around them, chaos ensued.

"This is...I order everyone...agh!" Umbridge stuttered as Harry daringly threw an Aguamenti at her. The class laughed as she gasped in her fully drenched clothes. As if that one spell had broken an invisible dam, hexes and curses from every student now found their way to the unfortunate professor, chasing her quickly out of the classroom and down the hall out of sight.

"We are going to be in so much trouble," Hermione said faintly, watching her flee. Her small rebellious streak was running out of steam. But Harry merely laughed and shared a look with Ron. Hermione never changed.

Umbridge never did come back to the classroom, so the students left before the official end of their lesson, all of them in a very good mood indeed. Dean and a few others came over to Harry with enthusiastic comments.

"That was fantastic!" Ron said excitedly. Hermione grudgingly nodded.

"I looked it up in the library and students have a right to rebel against any professor that is being abusive, neglectful or who is mistreating their students," the bushy-haired girl informed them.

"I don't think I would call it abusive," Ron muttered.

Hermione didn't seem to hear him as she opened her timetable. "We have double Potions next."

Ron groaned as usual. Spending two hours with Snape and Malfoy was the last thing Harry wanted to do. But he couldn't back down now.

Though if Harry had known what would soon happen in Potions, he would have turned and ran that very moment.

*~*~*~*

The dungeons were as cold and dreary as ever when the fifth year Gryffindors traipsed through them toward the Potions classroom door was already open when they arrived, so they obediently entered and Ron sat down next to Hermione, looking oddly triumphant. Harry realised it was because he had managed to claim the seat next to her before anyone else and he almost laughed.

He sat down next to Neville, who smiled at him. But the smile quickly faded as Snape entered the room, slamming the door behind him, which caused Gryffindors and Slytherins alike to jump out of their seats.

As the black-clad professor strode to the front of the class he stated: "The Cautus Monumentum potion is not an easy one to master, but nonetheless that is what you all will be attempting to brew today."

At the front of the room, he gestured with his wand and instructions appeared on the blackboard. Sneering at the class, his eyes swept over them. He met Harry's eyes for a second and Harry fidgeted, uncomfortable under the gaze, until Snape looked away.

"The ingredients for this potion are rare. Those who fail this lesson will reimburse the school for the expense of them." Again he waved his wand and the costly ingredients necessary for the lesson appeared on each student's desk. "You should not require any more than what you now have. Begin." He sat down at his desk, black cloak billowing out behind him.

Hermione read the instructions, and her eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "Professor," she asked. Snape stiffened and the Slytherins looked up; waiting eagerly for their favourite professor to take points.

"This potion isn't even mentioned in our potions books, and you didn't tell us what its uses are."

Snape didn't look up from his desk as he answered. "Miss Granger, think of this as a test to see how accomplished you are in this subject. You will know soon enough what its uses are."

She frowned but didn't say anything else, being always ready for a test. Harry, on the other hand, was suddenly feeling very might test you to make sure you're sincerely sorry. That was what his future self had said and he suddenly had a feeling that he was about to discover what sort of 'test' the greasy potions professor had in store for him.

He reluctantly got started on the potion, adding ingredients to the boiling water and mixing when necessary. He quickly realised that if it wasn't for his presence, Neville would have exploded the cauldron already - and more than likely half the classroom with it.

"Sorry," the nervous boy whispered apprehensively after Harry grabbed the chopped ginger root he was about to add. Their cauldron would have been overrun if he'd added the huge amount he had in his hand. "It's okay, Neville," he whispered back.

It wasn't a rare thing for Neville to be nervous in Potions, so Harry really couldn't blame him; Snape was very intimidating. It didn't help that he had never been nice to Neville - or anybody else, come to think of it. He extinguished the fire to let the mixture cool. The potion was clear like water, just like the instructions said it should be.

Five minutes later, Snape called out, "Time's up." He paced the room silently as he peered into the cauldrons, leaving Harry and Neville's until last. He held his breath as the man peered into it, feeling his heart sink when Snape smiled tightly at the contents. Personally, Harry thought the potion was fine, but if Snape looked pleased about it, that couldn't be the case. The professor left them, walking to the front of the room before he spun around to face the nervous students.

"This potion is used to interrogate criminals," he announced, then paused as he let that comment sink in. He watched the faces of his students before he continued."Any memories that the criminal would not wish to be revealed - both the pleasant and the terrible - are thus exposed to whomever interrogates him or her. The consequences of taking this potion may vary according to the person who consumes it."

Oh Merlin, Harry thought queasily. He wants me to drink the bloody stuff!

Sure enough Snape asked, "Who will volunteer to test the Cautus Monumentum potion?"

Unsurprisingly, nobody jumped at the opportunity. In fact, the class was staring at their professor as if he'd lost his mind. Even the Slytherins seemed to be unsure about their Head of House's sanity at the moment. After all, who would offer to have there most private memories exposed to an entire class?

But Harry was pretty sure that Snape was actually giving him a was either take the potion by your own will, and I might forgive you;, or take the potion by force, and I will continue to treat you like dirt.

Or perhaps he was just being optimistic.

If I take the potion he might forgive me, he debated silently. And if he does forgive me, he might even be willing to teach me Occlumency again.

Deciding it was worth the sacrifice, he took a deep breath. He had to do it. His future and the future of others was depending on him.

"I'll do it," he said quietly. Too quietly, it appeared, because nobody even turned to look at him.

"I'll do it, professor," he said, a little louder. This time, Ron, Hermione and the other Gryffindors turned to gape at him and he could see Draco and the rest of the Slytherins looking surprised but gleeful. It took all of his strength not to turn and run. Even Snape's mask of calm indifference had been replaced by one of perplexity

That surprised Harry so much that he stared at the professor momentarily before looking quickly away to glance at his classmates instead. The expressions on all of the students' faces clearly suggested that they thought he was barking mad. He couldn't blame them. He was already having second thoughts about his decision.

What if Snape used his memories against him? There was no doubt that he could make his life hell if he really wanted to, but would he?

But he didn't have time to reconsider. Snape had been utterly still for the first few seconds after Harry's announcement, but now he moved and walked over to their cauldron. He produced a glass vial from an unseen pocket and swiftly filled it with the contents.

Hermione's eyes were wide and Ron was struggling between anger and uncertainty as he shifted his weight from one foot to another.

Snape turned and moved toward Harry. Upon reaching him, he held out the potion stiffly.

Harry dared to look into the professor's eyes, but Snape just stared back at him emotionlessly and Harry was the one who looked away first. The class watched with bated breath as he reached for the glass container. He was careful not to touch Snape's pale fingers as he took it.

It looks so harmless, he thought as he held it. Could this really be the answer to his problems?

He hoped desperately that it was as he uncapped the bottle and Snape gestured for the class to stand up and gather round. The forbidding man then crossed his arms over his black clothed chest.

Harry lifted the potion to his mouth and ignored Hermione when she let out a small gasp. The mouth of the vial was cold against his lips but he tilted it upwards and closed his eyes as he swallowed the potion. There was no going back now.

It tasted strangely like emotions. That was the only way to describe it. Contentment flowed into his stomach like warm chocolate before the bitter taste of resentment chased it away. He could taste misery and it sent tingles down his skin, then suddenly exhilaration made him smile. He wasn't aware when the empty vial fell out of his limp hand and smashed on the stone floor.

Around both him and his classmates, the walls of the depressing dungeon faded away. Both Houses watched as the floor disappeared beneath them. Some students screamed, while others yelled excitedly. In the middle of the commotion, Harry stood completely still, his eyes closed as various emotions chased each other across his face. He wasn't aware of what was happening around him or that he was being watched intently by his hated professor.

He came back to himself as the scene around him and the others present finally solidified. They appeared to be outside somewhere in a forest. A much younger Harry was lying contentedly in the boughs of an old oak tree.

This wasn't what Harry had expected at all. He knew what memory this was and he was certain that there was nothing terrible in it. What was Snape up to?

His younger self appeared to be about eight years old. His face was thinner than Harry's was now and he was reading from a rather worn book. Hermione sidled over to his current self as the scene played out. "What's going to happen?" she asked. He looked at her and could see that she was worried about his privacy.

"Nothing bad," he told her. She nodded and moved back next to Ron.

The entire class looked up at Harry's younger self, waiting for something to happen. They didn't need to wait too long, for a second later Dudley Dursley appeared. Most of the Slytherins started laughing at Dudley and his remarkable girth. The younger Harry stilled in his tree and didn't look down as the other boy came closer. The older Harry remembered that he had wanted to take Dudley by surprise and to do that, he'd needed him to get closer.

Apparently Dudley hadn't yet seen Harry. He looked around the clearing in disappointment before stepping even closer to the oak.

No sooner had he done this than he was yanked into the air by a trap he hadn't seen. He let out a squeal and waved his arms wildly as he hung suspended less than a foot off the ground by a thick rope.

From the top of the tree, the younger boy laughed before jumping down. He landed on his feet, book in hand with a smile on his face.

Dudley glared at eight year old Harry from his upside down position and started screaming insults and threats. But the other boy merely grinned widely and crossed his thin arms."Looks like I caught a whale," he said gleefully.

From amongst the students watching, Ron laughed, along with a few others, at younger Harry's exclamation. Dudley stopped screaming for a minute to breathe but continued to glare hatefully at his nemesis with his red face.

"Just you wait until I tell Mum and Dad! Then you'll be sorry! You won't eat for weeks, they'll lock you in the cupboard until you die!" He screamed loudly and thrashed around. Some of the Slytherins grinned, but young Harry's smile turned icy. He stepped forward until he was right in front of Dudley.

"Dead men tell no tales," he said in a threatening whisper. Then abruptly, the scene changed.

This time it was dark, but they were still in a forest. The moon shone. This forest was wilder than the one in the first memory and Harry automatically knew where he was.

This was his first year at Hogwarts and he'd been walking in the Forbidden Forest with Draco. Fang followed behind them as they made their way through it. The older Draco didn't seem too happy to be in this memory - he was muttering and glaring at both the memory Harry and the present one. Suddenly, the younger Harry held out his arm to stop eleven year old Draco from walking any further. "Look..." he murmured.

Together, the two first year boys inched further toward something white that was lying on the ground. Some of the students gasped when they saw it was a dead unicorn. There was a deep gash in its neck and silver blood shone brightly in the moonlight.

A few of the girls from both Houses moaned to see such a beautiful animal dead and unmoving. In the memory, the younger Harry stepped toward the unicorn before freezing. A slithering sound made the entire class and their professor look up. A bush quivered near the end of the clearing where the dead unicorn lay.

Harry knew what was going to happen next, but he was still as unsettled as everyone else when the hooded figured crawled out of the bushes. It came across the clearing like a stalking beast. A dark hood covered the killer's face and body, but he didn't need to see his face to know who it was. Voldemort.

He watched the scene grimly.

At least now they've all seen him for themselves. Now they can't deny it. Maybe this will all turn out for the better.

The class was petrified, just like the younger boys and Fang in the memory clearly were. Voldemort reached the unicorn, lowered his head over the wound, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Harry was happy to see Snape and the rest of his classmates jump as Draco screamed his head off in the memory, alerting Voldemort to their presence - after which the blond pre-teen bolted, running into the depths of the forest at top speed with Fang right behind him. Voldemort had lifted his head from the corpse and was now staring straight at the memory Harry, silver blood dribbling down his front.

The Dark Lord could now be seen rising from the doomed creature and moving swiftly toward the young student - and memory Harry was unable move away because of the fear that gripped him.

As Voldemort floated towards the remaining boy, all of the students watching the terrible scene moved back, except for Hermione and Professor Snape who knew there was no danger.

The younger Harry gasped as pain flashed through his head. He clamped a hand over his scar just before the memory changed.

Both the Slytherins and Gryffindors visibly relaxed at this, while trying to look like they had never been worried and Harry wondered what their reaction would be if they saw his memory of Voldemort in the graveyard.

Hopefully I won't have to find that out, he thought grimly. He also hoped that the next memory wouldn't be something that Snape or the Slytherins could use against him.

How often hopes prove empty.


	4. Chapter 4: The Reward of Giving

The class was suddenly standing in the middle of Magnolia Road in Surrey, though most had no idea exactly where they were. They glanced around curiously.

From where the class stood, the memory of Harry could be seen standing in the shadow of a large lilac tree. He was waiting for Dudley's gang to move on.

"...squealed like a pig, didn't he?" said Dudley's friend Malcolm.

The other teens around him guffawed and from behind the lilac menory-Harry shook his head in disgust.

"Are you actually _hiding_ from a Muggle, Potter?" Malfoy asked from the Slytherin was gleeful at finding some dirt to use against his enemy. The Slytherins burst into laughter and Professor Snape didn't stop them.

Harry was surprised to find out that he didn't feel angry at his professor. Usually when Snape paid no attention to the Slytherins' mocking, Harry was furious: this time that tinge of anger wasn't there and Harry knew why - _he_ had violated Snape by watching _his_ memories and now Snape was trying to teach him a lesson.

Or maybe he was just being mean.

_Everybody has a reason for their actions, _he thought.

Tucking that away to explore later, Harry mentally turned back to view the memory.

"Round at my place? My parents are out," Gordon was saying.

"See you then," said Dudley.

"Bye Dud!"

"See ya, Big D!"

They left, making the way clear for memory-Harry to come out from behind the lilacs.

He came up a few feet behind Dudley before he called out, "Hey, Big D!"

Dudley turned. "Oh," he grunted. "It's you."

"How long have you been 'Big D,' then?" asked memory-Harry.

"Shut it," snarled Dudley, turning away again. Memory-Harry followed, a mischievous look crossing his features. Ron, having seen that same look just that morning, laughed.

"Cool name," he said, grinning, "but you'll always be Ickle Diddykins to me." Hermione frowned at the way he was taunting Dudley, but Ron was laughing along with Dean and Seamus.

"I said, SHUT IT!" Dudley screamed. His fists were clenched in rage; his face redder than a tomato.

"You don't tell her to shut her face. What about 'popkin' and 'Dinky Diddydums'? can I use them, then?" queried memory-Harry innocently.

The memory changed before any of the students could see Dudley's response.

They were standing in a grey room with a four poster bed and an escaped convict.

"Get out of the way!" a thirteen-year-old Harry yelled. A younger Hermione with her lip bleeding and a younger Ron with his injured leg scrambled to do just that, while the memory-Harry strode to the other side of the room.

The class turned, and a collective gasp went up as they saw Sirius Black lying slumped against the wall. A couple of the girls even cried out and Professor Snape's face hardened when he saw his childhood enemy.

Sirius' thin chest rose and fell rapidly as memory-Harry approached him. The boy's wand was pointed right at his heart.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" the man whispered. His blue eyes held so much misery that the present Harry felt his breath and Gryffindors waited with baited breath as the boy loomed over the convict, his wand still pointing at his chest. The youth's green eyes were hidden, but his wand was steady...

Suddenly, the scene shifted and some of the class let out disappointed breaths.

It was now night time. The sky was clear and the moon was full, its white light lit up the roof of the towers.

"There he is," said Neville to his were looking for Harry in the memory. The class and Professor Snape turned to where Neville was pointing. Memory-Harry sat precariously on the edge of the Astronomy tower parapet, the moonlight making his hair glint as he stared up at the stars.

The creak of the door to the tower opening made the memory-Harry and the class turned around. As a small, auburn-haired Slytherin slowly came out towards the parapet, his fellow housemates in the Potions class stiffened, causing Snape to divide his attention between them and the unfolding scene from Harry's mind.

The memory-Slytherin caught sight of the dark-haired Gryffindor and gasped, before scrambling backwards.

Memory-Harry turned back to look at the stars when the younger boy made to exit the tower, before appearing to change his mind when his hand was on the doorknob. The boy turned to look at Harry let his hand fall back to his side, he walked slowly back to the Boy-Who-Lived. When he was right beside him he stopped."Did you really fight You-Know-Who?" the boy asked quickly.

The class froze. The Slytherins were convinced that he was going to be cursed and the Gryffindors, who knew better, were waiting for Harry to answer.

The present Harry didn't look at Hermione and Ron even though he could feel their gazes on him.

Memory-Harry was clearly contemplating an appropriate response. The little boy shifted uncomfortably.

"I did," he said finally.

"A lot of people don't believe you." The boy watched him as he said it.

Memory-Harry nodded. "I know they don't. But what am I supposed to do about that? I can't _make_ them believe me," he said quietly.

The auburn-haired boy climbed up on the wall to sit beside him.

"I believe you," he said.

Memory-Harry turned his head and smiled slightly at the boy. It was curious how those three words could fill him with such a sense of hope. It was hard to believe that they were spoken by a Slytherin.

"Thanks," he said.

Beside the present Harry, Hermione was smiling at the scene and he could already picture her sporting a house unity badge. It took all of his self control not to laugh.

_I can handle all of this, _he thought. The memories didn't seem so bad and maybe some good would come from it.

Returning his attention to the memory, he saw the boy smile and raise his hand in greeting. "My name's Nathanael Cook."

"Harry Potter," the other boy said, shaking his hand. In the background of the class, the Slytherins made retching noises, which the Gryffindors frowned at.

"Why are you up here?" the memory-Harry asked, waving his hand around the tower for emphasis.

"I couldn't find the entrance to the Slytherin common room," Nathanael mumbled in embarrassment.

The older boy nodded in understanding and swung himself back onto the floor of the tower."I'll show you the way back before a professor finds us."

The scene changed as soon as the two boys walked through the door and the students looked around the room they had now landed in. Glass containers were built into the walls with grass and small plants growing inside were in a zoo. Draco sneered at the Muggles as they walked past the unseen audience. One of the Slytherins let out a shrill scream as a Muggle walked right through him.

Harry saw Snape close his eyes momentarily and he sniggered evilly before returning to the memory of a time before had ever heard of Hogwarts.

Uncle Vernon was rapping on the glass of a large tank and Dudley was standing beside him looking like a not-so-small miniature version of his almost eleven-year-old Harry waited on the sidelines as his uncle tried to make the container's inhabitant move.

"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away with his father in tow.

Memory-Harry moved forward so that he stood in front of the glass container. His hair was as messy as ever and he looked small in the oversized green eyes were full of sympathy for the huge snake, which the class were watching keenly. Some of them had never been to a Muggle zoo and they were very interested in the python.

As they watched, the snake opened his eyes and very slowly moved his head so that it was level with memory-Harry's.

Then, to the surprise of all of them - even their professor - the snake winked. The present Harry laughed as his classmates gaped at the reptile in disbelief, almost missing it when his younger self winked back.

Suddenly the snake jerked its head toward Harry's uncle and cousin. It raised it eyes to the ceiling and gave the boy a look that the whole class understood.

"I know," memory-Harry murmured to the snake. "It must be really annoying."

Ron, Dean, and some others laughed out loud as the snake shook his head vigorously.

Harry was surprised by their reactions. This wasn't what he had expected, but even some of the Slytherins were entranced to see the memory-Harry talking to a snake, who responded like a human. Snape had even moved forward to get a better view him interacting with it.

"Where do you come from anyway?" memory-Harry snake jabbed its tail at a sign next to the glass. The class read the sign which read "boa constrictor, Brazil."

"Was it nice there?" Again, the snake jabbed the sign, indicating farther down and the boy read the rest of the notice.

"Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?"

The snake shook its head, when all at once, a loud cry behind them made them both - and everyone watching - jump.

"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T _BELIEVE _WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Dudley waddled up to the cage. "Out of the way, you," he said, punching the much smaller Harry in the ribs.

The memory-Harry fell to the hard concrete floor and Draco laughed. What happened next took the whole class (except Harry, of course) by surprise.

One minute, Piers and Dudley were leaning on the glass, and the next they were jumping away from it with howls of horror as it disappeared. Taking advantage of this surprising turn of events, the snake rapidly unfolded itself and slithered out onto the floor.

The class momentarily forgot that it was a memory and backed away from it as Muggles screamed and scattered to the snake swept pass the green-eyed boy, who was still on the ground, and the class and their professor were astounded to hear it say: "Brazil, here I come...thanksss, amigo." The snake made its way out of the reptile house, leaving a stunned and confused memory-Harry behind.

The memory changed just as the ten-year-old stood up.

An older Harry, along with his two best friends were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"I want to fix that in my mind forever," memory-Ron was saying. He lifted his head up and closed his eyes as his friends watched.

"Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret...." The Gryffindors burst into laughter. Malfoy turned a light shade of pink and glared at Harry like it was all his fault.

The memory changed even as they were laughing.

It was dark in the next memory and the Gryffindors' laughter stopped instantly, for now Harry stood with his wand out - and beside him stood Cedric Diggory.

_Not this one, _he groaned mentally. He didn't want to see Cedric die a second time; it had been hard enough the first.

Some of the class tore their gazes away from Cedric to take in the surroundings. They were in a graveyard. Memory-Harry's leg was bleeding and his jeans were dark from the blood.

"Someone's coming," memory-Harry said suddenly.

The class turned to through the darkness, they watched a figure drawing nearer, walking steadily towards both tried to make out the person's face, with difficulty, for it was dark. The students could, however, tell that the person was holding something. Holding it like a baby...

The person was a short man sporting a hooded cape that covered his face. Fourteen-year-old Harry lowered his wand slightly and glanced at Cedric, who shot him a quizzical look before they resumed their watch on approaching stranger.

The figure stopped beside a towering marble headstone. For a second, the man and the two teens simply stared at each other. On the sidelines, the class watched silently.

Suddenly the memory-Harry gasped. His wand fell from his hand as he lifted it to cradle his head, knees buckling as he fell to the ground. They whole class could tell from the expression on his face that the pain was intense.

Hermione gripped his arm as she watched, her expression reflecting his agony at seeing her friend suffer.

"_Kill the spare," _a cold voice hissed.

The students jumped. Some even gasped. A swishing noise was heard and the present Harry closed his eyes. He knew what was going to happen next.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _

A blast of green light temporarily blinded the students and the first thing they saw as their eyesight cleared was Cedric lying spread-eagled on the cold ground. He was dead.

Hannah let out a sob that was echoed by some of the other girls. Malfoy was looking paler than usual as he stared at the dead body. _Maybe he'll have second thoughts about turning into a Death Eater now,_ Harry thought sorrowfully.

Snape was not looking at the body, unlike everyone else. He was watching Wormtail.

The memory-Harry stared at Cedric's face in disbelief. The man put down his bundle, came closer to him, grabbing him roughly. The boy didn't have the strength to put up a fight as he was dragged through the graveyard by Cedric's murderer.

The audience was quiet as they watched the man push their classmate hard onto a headstone. He then conjured ropes that bound the boy from his neck to his ankles. Memory-Harry struggled and the man hit him hard.

In the classroom, Hermione gasped but covered her mouth quickly as she saw that the squat man only had four fingers.

"You!" the memory-Harry cried out at the same time Ron spat out disgustedly, "Wormtail!"

Most of the others didn't know who the man was, but by the looks on the trio's faces, they knew he was someone they despised.

Wormtail didn't look at memory-Harry or reply at all. He was checking the ropes that bound him His fingers trembled uncontrollably.

The balding traitor then drew a length of material from his pocket and shoved it in his mouth. A second later he was scurrying off and the students wondered momentarily if he was going to leave their classmate there.

A stirring sound made them turn to watch as the bundled blanket move. Neville swallowed loudly. He was as pale as the others.

Everyone swivelled around when somebody let out a scream. A gigantic snake was moving around memory-Harry's bound legs. This snake was even bigger then the one in the zoo memory.

"Nagini," Hermione whispered. Harry looked at her in surprise, but she was watching the snake. He hadn't told either of his friends exactly what had happened in the graveyard and they hadn't asked, so he was curious as to where Hermione had learned the name of Voldemort's pet snake.

A huffing sound made the class turn to watch Wormtail push a huge cauldron into view. They could hear water sloshing around inside it and the thing in the blanket was stirring more restlessly now.

Wormtail lit a fire under the cauldron and the water inside was quickly heated - so quickly that it bubbled noisily before throwing off sparks.

In the memory, Harry watched this all silently. Besides the fact that he couldn't talk because of the material in his mouth, he was also in shock. His very pale skin was now comparable to Malfoy's and he looked dizzy as he viewed the proceedings.

The movement from the bundle became more agitated, a high cold voice suddenly emanating from it, eliciting gasps and shrieks from some students.

"_Hurry!" _the cold voice said impatiently.

"It is ready, master," Wormtail said.

"_Now…" _said the high voice.

Pettigrew opened the robes revealing the thing inside.

Memory-Harry's yell was muffled by the rag and the ropes wouldn't give away no matter how he struggled.

The class got a look at the disgusting creature as Wormtail lifted it out of the robes overwhelmed Slytherin collapsed in a faint. With all eyes on the scene taking place, though, nobody noticed the girl lying face down on the had her hands covering her mouth, and Ron's jaw was slack with horror.

Quivering, the man carried the raw, scaly and hairless creature to the cauldron with obvious revulsion.

The class watched beside their silent professor in apprehension. The snake-faced thing went under the water and all heard the frail body hit the bottom of the cauldron, wishing without hope that it would drown - just as Harry had wished less than a year ago.

And now Pettigrew was talking. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. Raising his wand, he closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.

"_Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!" _

The surface of the grave which memory-Harry was standing on shook and cracked. Horrified, his classmates watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air, then floated swiftly to the cauldron and dropped softly into surface hissed, sending sparks everywhere and turning a poisonous looking blue.

The Dark Lord's servant was whimpering now. He pulled a long, thin, shining, silver dagger from inside his cloak and his voice broke into petrified sobs as he said.

"_Flesh...of the servant...w-willingly given...you will...revive...your master."_

Stretching his right arm over the cauldron - the same arm with the missing finger -Wormtail gripped the dagger tightly and swung the blade upward.

"Oh, Merlin!" Ron gasped as he realised what the man was going to do. He looked away just in weren't so lucky and they watched as Wormtail's hand fell from his arm.

The scream that pierced the night and the splashing sound that followed right after had three more students fainting. Again, nobody turned to help them.

The potion turned a luminous red, so bright in hue that the students had to look away. When they turned back the traitor was stumbling over to memory-Harry.

"_B...blood of the enemy...forcibly taken...you will...resurrect your foe."_

Memory-Harry struggled as the knife was lifted to his arm. The class was momentarily terrified that Wormtail was going to cut off his arm, too, even though the proof that that was not the case was standing right beside them."Oh, no!" moaned a girl, covering her eyes while others looked away quickly.

Memory-Harry didn't even flinch as the sharp point pierced his skin. He was numb all over - only later would the pain blood dribbled into a vial that Wormtail held at his arm. When full, the Death Eater staggered back over to the cauldron to pour the boy's blood into it.

The liquid now turned a blinding white. Wormtail collapsed next to the cauldron and sobbed as he held his bleeding stump. For a few moments nothing changed, and then, suddenly, sparks emanated from the cauldron, and a puff of thick white steam rose. The class couldn't see anything. The steam was worse than a heavy fog.

But then, through the mist in front of them, they saw a dark outline of a man. Tall and skeletally thin, he rose slowly from the inside of the cauldron.

"Robe me," came a high, cold voice from behind the steam. Wormtail, sobbing and moaning, still cradling his mutilated arm, scrambled to pick up the black robes that were on the to his feet, he pulled the robes over his master's head with his one good arm.

The thin figure stepped out of the cauldron, not once taking his eyes from the youth imprisoned by his father's tomb.

Some of the class were shaking as they watched the scene. The memory-Harry stared right back at Voldemort as his red eyes and thin snake-like face made another student faint…right before the memory changed.

More than one person sighed with relief as the scene blurred and shifted, leaving them the opportunity to wake their fallen classmates. Ron kicked a Slytherin who had dropped at his feet. The Slytherin jerked awake and glared at him before stumbling away as Ron chuckled, until he saw Hermione frowning at him.

"What?" he asked. She crossed her arms and turned away.

"Girls," Harry heard him mutter as the next scene settled before them.

They were in the Great Hall at Hogwarts and a sorting was going on. Harry's sorting, to be exact.

The last person had finally woken from his faint thanks to Professor Snape's sharp, "Get up!" The blushing Gryffindor straightened up and the class turned to watch the sorting.

Memory-Harry had just sat on the stool. He looked down at his feet to dodge the hundreds of eyes staring at him hat fell over his face as it was placed on his head by Professor McGonagall.

The class glanced around in confusion at the scene as they heard a voice come out of nowhere "Hmm," it said.

"Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either."

The students gazes fixed themselves on his younger self as they recognised the voice.

"It's the Sorting Hat!" someone exclaimed. The class realised that what they were hearing was what Harry had heard just a few years ago.

All the Slytherins leaned forward eagerly. Draco, in particular, looked like he wanted to find something juicy to spread around Hogwarts. He was determined to get back at Potter for the bouncing ferret memory.

"There's talent," continued the Sorting Hat. "Oh my goodness, yes...and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting....So where shall I put you?

Snape was listening intently; the hated professor was still but his eyes sparked with interest.

_Wonderful, _Harry thought sarcastically. Between Snape and the rest of the Slytherins he would have no secrets left to tell by tomorrow morning.

"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the Sorting Hat. The class watched as memory-Harry's small body stiffened.

"Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that...no? Well, if you're sure...better be...GRYFFINDOR!"

The scene changed as memory-Harry went off to join the screaming Gryffindors.

The class looked around in awe as the scene settled. There was snow everywhere. It had to be at least four feet deep and it seemed to shine in the darkness of the sound of plastic scraping across concrete made them turn. A young Harry was shovelling the snow off the couldn't have been more then eight. His nose was pink from the cold and he looked so small in the large, thin, coat that many of the students watching wouldn't have been surprised if the wind blew him over.

He had just finished clearing the driveway and was walking toward the front door. Placing the shovel next to it, he turned the handle to enter the house, but it wouldn't budge. The boy shook the door knob angrily with both hands, young face flushed with frustration. He looked both angry and upset.

The present Harry knew what scene this was and he wasn't looking forward to watching it with his fellow risked a glance at Snape and saw him watching his younger self the professor's black eyes moved. He looked liked he was taking in every detail of the memory. As always, his face betrayed no expression.

The class watched the memory curiously. What was keeping young Harry from going inside? He had given up on the door and walked around the side of the house until he came to a the window everyone could see the Dudley of an earlier memory sitting with his father and a horse-like woman that had the same colour of hair as the podgy boy' family was watching the television, drinking from warm mugs and sitting contentedly on a comfy sofa. Harry's uncle had his arm wrapped around his wife and son as they all laughed at the show they were watching.

Standing on his toes, young Harry tapped on the glass.

The audience could tell that his relatives had heard. His aunt's and uncle's shoulders stiffened and Dudley actually turned around to stick tongue out at the boy, whocrinkled his nose in response and several girls giggled amidst the students. Young Harry tapped on the glass again, his face pleading to be let inside.

Mr Dursley got up from the sofa, strode to the window, and after giving Harry a glare he pulled the curtains closed. The class watched the shadow of the large man move away from the Slytherins and Gryffindors waited to hear the front door unlock and the caring voice of his uncle tell him to get in the house before he got sick.

But it never came.

Memory-Harry started to shiver, but he didn't move until the lights went out from inside the house, when he walked toward the front door to try the door knob one last door wouldn't open. The child was shivering violently now, his whole body shaking with the cold.

Slowly, looks of realisation were spread amongst the confused students: his relatives had locked him out of the house!

The child sat on the doorstep. His anger from earlier had faded. Now he only looked sad. The snow had fallen onto his hair and eyelashes and was melting, leaving him wet and colder than his knees to his chest and wrapping his thin arms around them, he sighed, making some of the students' hearts ache, as he laid his head on his knees.

The memory changed and the last thing the students saw was memory-Harry shivering on the doorstep.

The sound of a trunk being shut made the class turn to stare at their old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. A large amount of the females in the class sighed dreamily and Harry rolled his eyes.

The foppish professor was hastily locking his many trunks while, behind him, Harry and Ron stood with angry and incredulous expressions on their faces.

Lockhart pulled out his wand and turned on them. Seeing the wand made the hushed giggling stop abruptly and everyone heard the man's next words.

"Awfully sorry, boys, but I'll have to put a memory charm on you now."

The class watched, many of them shocked, a few feeling smug. Some were even boasting about how they had known all along that Lockhart was a fake.

"I knew it from the first time I saw him!" exclaimed a rather loud student.

"Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place," Lockhart was saying. "I'd never sell another book..."

Twelve-year-old Harry suddenly had his wand in his hand as the professor was still drawing his.

"_Expelliarmus!" _he bellowed and Lockhart went flying Gryffindors cheered as they watched memory-Ron throw the wand out an open window. Even a few of the Slytherins were smirking as memory-Harry advanced on the cowering man.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," he said furiously, kicking a trunk out of his way.A Slytherin started laughing before trying to disguise it as coughing when he caught his professor's memory changed as Harry stood over Lockhart with his wand drawn. For a twelve-year-old, he looked very menacing.

The next second the class was standing in a very gloomy looking room. Sunlight was trying, to no avail, to shine through the dirty were two small beds, an empty frame and one small, old dressing table between them. In one bed, Ron was snoring heavily and Harry lay on the Slytherins were already sniggering at having caught the two Gryffindors in their pyjamas.

Harry knew what memory this was, and even though he wasn't happy about sharing it, he was happy that he wasn't wearing his tatty pyjamas.

Memory-Harry stirred and then buried his head under his pillow. He was already half awake thanks to the blurry sunlight and obviously wishing he could just go back to sleep.

The creak of a door turned many heads and the class watched as a very big black dog walked silently through the doorway.

"Looks like a grim," more then one person whispered in fear, causing Harry to smile as he remembered a time when he had thought the same thing.

The dog walked to the foot of memory-Harry's bed, where he sat and surveyed the boy with a glint in his round to the side of the bed, it grabbed the cover with his teeth and pulled. The cover slid off the youth and from under the pillow he complained.

Sirius dropped the covers and did the dog equivalent of a laugh. His tail shook happily and his shoulders shook.

Memory-Harry pulled his legs to his chest. His warm clothes becoming cold rather quickly.

Hermione, Ron, and only a few others knew who the huge dog really was. The rest were amused and surprised to see the dog acting like a human.

Sirius in his Animagus form went to memory-Harry's bare feet at the end of the bed and with a snort of laughter, licked boy reacted immediately. With a muffled sound he quickly pulled both feet to safety.

He came out from under the pillow and sat up to pull his covers back over his cold body. The big dog grabbed a mouthful of the covers and pulled playfully.

Memory-Harry glared at the dog but couldn't help the small grin that covered his face. When the dog started growling he rolled his eyes and pulled harder.

"I am _definitely_ going to turn you into a pink poodle," he said to the dog.

Sirius let go unexpectedly and with a yelp, the teenager fell off the bed.

The class burst into laughter. Snape was the only one without a grin on his face.

The dog went around the other side of the bed where memory-Harry was moaning in between chuckles. The last thing the class saw was him screaming, "Yuck! Slobber!" as the dog attacked him with his tongue.

The next memory was extremely different from the last. Where the last memory had a happy, peaceful air to it, this one was sinister and was standing in front of a bound Harry once again. Nobody had time to prepare themselves for what came next.

"_Crucio!"_

Harry saw Snape pale along with Ron as his memory-self thrashed the background Death Eaters laughed. Hermione once again had her hands covering her mouth.

A scream of immense pain made its way past memory-Harry lips before Voldemort ended the spell a few seconds later.

Neville was shaking. Harry saw and put a hand on his friend's arm to remind him that he was still there. Neville glanced at him before noticeably trying to calm himself.

Memory-Harry was staring in defiance at Voldemort as the scene shifted.

The next memory came quickly. Harry wondered if the potion was starting to wear off.

"KILL THE BOY! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! SNIFF…SMELL HIM!"

The shouting was unexpected, and so was the giant Basilisk, whose head aimed itself at the determined but frightened screamed along with a few boys and memory-Harry jumped out of the way just in time. He held a beautiful sword in his trembling hands and bumped into the wall of the room.

The snake aimed again, but this time it's aim was true. Memory-Harry drove the sword straight into the roof of the monster's mouth. It went still for a moment and the class held it's breath. Suddenly, the Basilisk keeled over sideways. It was dead. The students gasped as they caught sight of the victor.

He was sliding down the wall sword still in hand. A blood drenched fang was driven into his arm and they all knew that his life was draining out of him as they was wrenching the fang painfully out of his arm as the memory shifted.

The clean, well-furnished house was a dramatic change from the most recent memory. It was too bad that the memory itself wasn't a happy one.

"I should have put you in an orphanage when I found you on my doorstep!" Harry's aunt yelled as she shook the very young boy fiercely. The class watched with wide eyes. Some of the Slytherins were guilty of slightly open mouths as they watched. Harry saw and looked away with a grin. He knew very well what they called him: "Pampered Potter."

_Maybe they'll rethink their decision, _he hoped, without really believing it.

Petunia was undoing the lock of a cupboard as she yelled at the little boy, who didn't struggle in her painful grasp.

"You just wait until Vernon gets home!"

When the cupboard door was open she pushed him in roughly and re-locked the door.

The memory changed before the class even had time to think about what they had seen.

The room that the class now stood in was big, but everyone's eyes were watching the scene right in the middle of the Quirrell was standing with his back to a very frightened Harry. Voldemort's face was on the back of Quirrell's head.

Finally, it was too much for Neville. Basilisks, Voldemort, Sirius Black, more Voldemort - he just couldn't take it anymore. He fainted.

Harry saw and caught him. No one else even noticed as he lowered Neville to the floor; they were too busy gawking at made his friend comfortable, then turned his attention back to the memory.

"Now...why don't you give me that stone in your pocket?" Voldemort was saying.

The memory-Harry stumbled backwards. "Don't be a fool," snarled the face that would soon haunt the nightmares of many people.

"Better save your own life and join me...or you'll meet the same end as your parents...They died begging me for mercy..."

"Liar!" memory-Harry shouted.

Quirrell was walking backwards toward him now and the class watched with wide eyes.

Voldemort was smiling. It was something that everyone there wished they would never see again.

"How touching..." he hissed. "I always value bravery...Yes, boy, your parents were brave...."

Abruptly the memory changed, to the disappointment of many.

The white walls of the Hospital Wing surrounded them.

Harry was sitting up on one bed. Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione were either sitting or standing at his feet.

Some of the class was surprised to see the big dog from earlier also sitting near his and Snape stood near the door.

"And now," Dumbledore was saying, "it is time for two of our number to recognise each other for what they are. Sirius...if you could resume your usual form."

The class watched the dog expectantly. They weren't disappointed as the dog quickly turned into a man.

Mrs. Weasley screamed and Neville jerked awake from his place on the floor.

"Sirius Black!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked, pointing at him.

"Mum, shut up!" memory-Ron yelled just before the scene changed, leaving some very unsatisfied students.

Harry looked to be about thirteen in the memory. He was sitting beside a small bed with a tatty blanket, a scratched desk over in one corner of the room.

Hedwig was sitting on his knee and he was absently stroking her. There was nothing else in the bare room and it had a gloomy air to it. On the side of his chin the class could see a bruise. His head jerked towards the bedroom door and the class heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

Hedwig heard them too and she flew off his knee and over to the window. Memory-Harry stood up and walked to the window with a slight limp in his step that no one missed.

The black-haired boy quickly let Hedwig out. The heavy footsteps stopped outside his bedroom door and he froze. The memory changed as the scrape of locks being opened sounded from the other side of the door.

But instead of another memory, the Potions classroom came back into view. The students looked around warily, before all eyes turned to Harry. Nobody said anything for a while. They had seen so many things about him. They had so many questions!

"Class dismissed," Snape said silkily, causing them to start.

They gathered their belongings with slow movements. Snape must have caught this because he snarled, "Anybody still here in two minutes can start cleaning up!"

Half the students were gone in less then a minute.

Harry gathered his supplies quickly. He wanted to get as far from Snape and the prying eyes of his fellow students as soon as he could. Ron and Hermione didn't say anything, but glared at people that were watching him. Just as they were about to exit the room Snape spoke up.

"Remedial Potions starts at eight, Mr. Potter," he said. "Don't be late."

Harry froze. Was Snape actually telling that he was going to restart their lessons? He decided not to ask. _Don't look a gift horse in the mouth._

"I won't sir," he replied breathlessly. Without looking back at the professor, he left the room, Hermione and Ron following behind him.

He never saw Snape turn to watch his receding back with curious eyes.


	5. Chapter 5: Occlumency and Nightmares

As he walked to the Great Hall, Harry pretended not to notice the stares and whispers that surrounded him. News of what had happened in fifth year Potions class had spread like the flu.

How could it not? The memories that the Slytherin and Gryffindor class had witnessed contained the answers to questions that more then half the people in Hogwarts wondered about.

The discussions were not all bad, though. Harry had realised that when he had turned a corner heading towards Charms and found some third year Ravenclaws talking about how he "really did see and talk to You-Know-Who!"

The third years had scarpered when they had seen the Gryffindor trio. After that encounter, he didn't feel so bad. _Now nobody can deny that Voldemort is back! _he though triumphantly. Maybe the whispers and stares he was receiving weren't for nothing, after all. If people got serious about Voldemort being back it would have been worth it.

He tried to explain his reasoning to Ron and Hermione during lunch. 'Tried' being the operative word.

"Yes, Harry that's all very well, but I think that you should report Professor Snape," Hermione said quietly after he explained his reasoning. People around them were trying hard to listen in to their conversation.

Ron was nodding vigorously. "He showed your private memories to a class full of Slytherins! They could tell You-Know-Who what they learned," he said as he hit the table with a clenched fist in anger, making dishes rattle.

Harry rolled his eyes at his friends as he buttered a warm roll. "Oh _please, _what would the Slytherins tell Voldemort? None of those memories had anything that could be used against us."

He inhaled the smell of the honeyed butter before biting in to the roll. _This…is…Heaven. _He thought before silentlylaughing at himself. He was so giddy. Snape, it seemed, had forgiven him. Voldemort was suddenly real and not a figment of his imagination, and to top it off, he had hot, superb food.

Hermione leaned forward over the table.

"They may not know any vital information, but they are now aware of other things. Like how Sirius is an Animagus. If they had any doubt about it before, your memories just proved them right."

Harry didn't look too concerned and she frowned.

"They're aware that you don't always stay in Gryffindor Tower at night. That could prove dangerous," she said fiercely as she tried to make her friend see her point.

"Hermione, tons of students go out at night," he said irritably. He was starting to get annoyed. _Why can't she just let me be happy for a while?_

She leaned closer so that only her two best friends could hear her.

"They know that you have been mistreated in the past by people that were supposed to love you." Her words were so soft that for a moment Harry wasn't sure they were real. "Think about what would happen if someone like Rita Skeeter got a hold of that information!"

His fork dropped out of his now numb hand at Hermione's words. It clattered loudly against his plate and drew more attention to the three friends.

"Snape violated your privacy!" she continued quietly, ignoring Ron who trying to get her attention by staring at her. Harry barely heard what Hermione had said.

He felt a cold chill trailing down his skin. He knew he must have paled by the concerned looks on his friends' faces.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. She stretched out her arm and touched his hand.

But he drew it back quickly and looked away from her wounded expression. "I have to finish some homework," he said quietly. The food didn't seem very appetising any more.

He left them at the table and walked away, still stunned. Half way across the room he heard Hermione calling to him to come back.

"Harry…wait," she cried, but he ignored her and disappeared through the doors.

***~*~*~***

Harry walked slowly toward his next class. Even though he had told Hermione that he had homework, the truth was that he had none. He hated lying to his bushy haired friend, but he just had to get away from her.

For him, Hogwarts was a world away from the Dursleys, somewhere he could forget about his dreadful summers there - he didn't want to talk about his hateful relatives or his life with them. Ron and Hermione never asked about them so he didn't talk about them, unless it was in jest or in passing.

Today was the most he'd talked about them in his five years at school; though he had barely opened his mouth and had hated every minute of the short discussion.

Although he walked towards his Transfiguration class slowly, he was still the first to get there. He sat down outside the closed doors to the classroom, put his bag beside him and let his thought drift to his upcoming Occlumency lessons.

It was a miracle that Snape was allowing him to have the lessons.

_I can't mess it up this time_.

He would have to be serious about the lessons and practice. _I can resign from the Quidditch team if it's necessary. _He didn't want to stop playing Quidditch but if it would help him learn Occlumency it would be worth it.

Harry wasn't going to let Sirius die because of him. He smiled as he recalled the day's earlier memory of his godfather in dog form. That morning in Grimmauld Place had been one of the best of his life. He couldn't remember any adult actually playing with him like Sirius had.

He settled himself more comfortably against the wall.

_I never carried out my promise to turn Sirius into a pink poodle, _he thought in amusement, _Oh well, there's still time. _A wicked grin stole across his face. It would be so funny! The mental image of a small pink poodle with bows in his hair, furiously yapping, made him laugh out loud, the sound of it echoing down the empty hall.

Reluctantly, he turned his wandering thoughts back to the problem at hand. Would Snape act better or worse after seeing his memories?

_He might taunt me about them, _he thought uneasily. He didn't want to fight with Snape; all he wanted was to learn Occlumency. He sighed, his breath blowing his fringe back. Raising a hand to smooth his hair, the scar on his hand caught his eye.

_Wonder what is Umbridge going to be like? _he thought worriedly as he ran his finger over it, his messy hair forgotten. The toad-like woman hadn't been at lunch, which was unusual. Harry knew that it would take more then just a few teens rebelling to scare her away; he just wished he knew how she would fight back, although there was no doubt in his mind that it would not be a fair fight on her part.

_I'll just have to wait until Defence Against the Dark Arts tomorrow. _He was not looking forward to it, but he would stand his ground.

_Because who else will? _he asked himself. The book that future-Harry had given was very firm about getting rid of Umbridge.

_Too bad he didn't give some ideas on how, _he thought as he caught sight of his fellow students coming towards him.

He stood as he caught sight of Ron and Hermione. Ron's grin was a little wary, as if he were unsure of the reception he'd get and Hermione didn't even look at him.

_Better fix that, _he sighed. He wasn't annoyed with Hermione now. He fell into step beside her as they walked into the classroom, then slipped his arm around her shoulder in a half hug to show he wasn't upset anymore.

She smiled carefully at him and he returned it with a cheery grin. He didn't hug his friends often but he knew that Hermione wasn't uncomfortable by the way she'd returned the gesture. They let go of each other before entering the Transfiguration classroom to see Ron grinning at them.

Harry tried to pay attention to the lesson, but his mind had other ideas. So many questions were bouncing around his head that it made it impossible to concentrate.

"….Animagus forms tomorrow," Professor McGonagall was saying. His head shot up with sudden interest.

"What did she say about Animagus forms?" he whispered to Hermione. The glare she sent his way left him feeling properly scolded.

Even though Hermione was obviously annoyed with him for not paying attention, she couldn't resist the chance to tell him something he didn't know. "That's what we will be studying tomorrow," she whispered. "But you're not going to remember any of it if you don't learn how to pay attention." McGonagall's sharp ears picked up her whisper.

"Miss Granger," she said sternly, "don't make me take points."

With a pink blush the girl nodded and bent her head back over her book. Harry did the same as McGonagall turned away. Maybe he could still learn something before the lesson was over besides how to annoy Hermione.

***~*~*~***

Later that evening in the Great Hall, as Harry enjoyed his evening meal, Hermione became very excited about a book she had read. Ron rolled his eyes at him behind her back and turned his face away to hide his grin. The head table caught his eye; McGonagall was speaking rather crossly with Dumbledore, waving her arms around in animated, angry motions to emphasise her point. The Headmaster didn't seem too affected by her angry tone, replying in his usual soft manner.

He noticed that Snape wasn't at the table and wondered if McGonagall's conversation involved him.

"Wonder what that's about," Ron said and Harry turned to see him watching the head table also. Hermione was now talking to Ginny and didn't notice.

"I don't know," he said glumly, "but I wish I did." Abruptly, the Transfiguration teacher rose from the table and walked stiffly out the door at the rear of the dais. Harry and Ron went back to their dinner in disappointment.

***~*~*~***

At ten minutes to eight, Harry got ready to head down towards the dungeons for his Occlumency lesson. Ron bid him goodbye with a grimace on his face and a grim "Good luck, mate."

"Just don't lose your temper, Harry," were Hermione's unhelpful words. He exited the common room and made his way down the hall. He didn't look back; the temptation of running and hiding under his bed would overwhelm him if he did.

And so, like a lamb walking to the slaughter, he descended into the dungeons. He knew he was being ridiculous: Snape wouldn't kill him. Torture him without mercy maybe, but not kill him.

_Just be respectful and listen to what he says, _he instructed himself.

Thankfully, he'd already practiced clearing his mind earlier, having snuck away from Hermione and Ron to escape to his bed. With his curtains drawn, lending him some privacy, he had sat cross-legged on his bed and practiced hard.

He wasn't sure if it had worked, but he had felt better afterwards just because he had tried. But now that it was time to test himself, he wasn't sure he was ready. He reached Snape's office sooner then he wanted to and the dark wooden door looked more foreboding than usual to him as he stood there nervously, contemplating it.

"I don't have all night, Potter!" Harry jumped at the snide voice that came from the other side of the door. While the thick wood slightly muffled Snape's voice, it certainly didn't diminish any of the sharpness.

Not wanting to push Snape to anger prematurely, he opened the door. His teacher didn't even look up from the papers he was marking as Harry walked through it. Shutting it quietly, he came to stand just a few feet in front of the Potions Master.

"Have you even practiced clearing your mind, Potter?" Snape asked sharply as he covered some unfortunate student's assignment with red ink.

"I've only tried it once in the last few days sir," he replied truthfully. The quill seemed to hover for a fraction of a second over the parchment, it was so quick that Harry wasn't sure if he had seen it.

Placing the quill beside the mountain-sized pile of papers and leaning back in his seat, the Potions Master crossed his arms. The action made him look even sterner than usual, more intimidating. Harry hated feeling the man's dark gaze boring into him; it was almost like it could see right through him, but he met his eyes squarely.

"The potion you took this morning wasn't the _Cautus Monumentum_."

The unexpected comment left the boy feeling slightly off balance.

"What?" he asked before remembering himself and adding, "Sir."

He really didn't like the way Snape was staring at him, so he let his eyes slide away to focus right over the Professor's shoulder.

"You did not prepare the _Cautus Monumentum _potion, nor did you drink it," Snape repeated patiently.

When Harry didn't say anything he continued.

"I'm surprised Miss Granger didn't catch it, being the know-it-all that she is."

He didn't even think about defending his friend; too many questions were buzzing in his head. "What did I drink then sir?" he asked warily.

The teacher looked away from his face to the papers on his desk. "A mild memory potion," he said. "Not nearly as resilient as the _Cautus Monumentum_."

Harry nodded without really understanding, which Snape seemed to suspect, for his eyes narrowed as they came back up to study him.

"So," Harry started nervously, "you were testing me?" Once again, Snape moved his eyes away from Harry's.

"Yes," he stated shortly. The teenager couldn't bear the silence that followed this confirmation, and distracted himself by taking a seat at one of the desks at the front of the classroom.

Still no answer.

"Well, did I pass?" he asked rather impatiently. But at Snape's sharp look and scowl he added a hasty "sir."

Snape stood and Harry leaned back into his chair. The tall man came to stand in front of his desk just a few feet away from him.

"You wouldn't be here if you hadn't," he snapped.

Harry knew that but he had wanted to hear it from him anyway.

Snape leaned forward and Harry found himself almost alarmed by the menacing man. "I will try to teach you the art of Occlumency one last time," he snarled."If you are not obedient and respectful, and if you do not apply yourself…." he trailed of and his soft tone suggested unimaginable horror. Harry found himself nodding vigorously at the tone and had to stop himself.

"…then I will no longer waste my time trying to get this art into your thick skull."

He didn't react to the insult. He had too much at stake to lose his temper now.

"If you do not show an improvement within the first week, then the next time you will see this room will be for detention."

"Yes sir," he said in understanding.

Snape straightened and drew his wand from his sleeve. Harry rose from his chair and did the same.

"Clear your mind, Potter," Snape said. Harry gritted his teeth as he tried to concentrate. It had taken him minutes by himself just to get the feeling of composure. How was he supposed to feel calm when Snape was going to throw the stupid spell at him at any second?

"Are you ready, Potter?" the bat-like figure snapped impatiently.

He wasn't, but to say no might drive Snape to the edge so he nodded and briefly closed his eyes while quickly trying to calm himself. Snape slowly pointed his wand in his direction.

_Here it comes, _he thought forbiddingly and he braced himself mentally and physically.

"_Legilimens!"_

Without pause, the office swam before it disappeared before Harry's eyes.

A basilisk was lunging at him while Tom Riddle watched…Harry was telling a disbelieving Cedric about the first task…Ron was grabbing his arm, looking slightly green as he read the words that were carved into the skin of his hand. Harry tried to push Snape out of his head and but the memories kept playing.

He was six and Uncle Vernon was yelling at him….Draco Malfoy was taunting him on the train….He was catching the snitch and the whole of Gryffindor house was cheering.

Snape pulled out of his head and Harry found himself kneeling on hard stone. He quickly pulled himself off the floor, aware of Snape's eyes on him the entire time.

"How do you clear your mind Potter?" Snape asked without a sneer on his face, for once. Harry looked up at him with surprise. _That's it? No, 'That was dreadful, you're not worth the time I spend on you'? Just 'How do you clear your mind?'_

"I'm waiting," came the impatient voice of his teacher.

_That's better, _Harry thought sarcastically.

"I try to…um…clear my mind of all emotion," he stuttered. He had no idea _how _to do it - all he knew was that he was _supposed_ to do it.

"I see," was the quiet reply. Harry gulped and felt heat rise in his face when he realised it was audible.

Snape spun on his foot and, with a sharp command to stay put, he left the room.

_Oh Merlin, what is he going to do? _he thought in panic. He was well aware that he had done horribly, indeed he was almost ashamed of how badly he had performed: he had hoped that he might resist his teacher's efforts longer than that.

Snape came back into the room, driving all thought from his mind with his appearance, and stiffly held out two books to the boy, his face once again emotionless. Harry took the books curiously with an inquiring look at his professor.

"I want you to read the first six chapters of each book before your next lesson," said the man.

He nodded as he read the titles. There was _Organising the Mind _by Miranda Marlfox and _Occlumency: a Beginner__'s Guide_ by Ewan d'Lacey.

"I'll know if you have read them or not, Potter," Snape growled and Harry looked up.

"Yes sir," he said seriously. Snape studied him before spinning around to return to his desk. He watched as he pulled the pile of homework towards him. Recognising his dismissal, Harry happily fled the office.

_He didn't scream at me once! _Amazement filled him at the realisation as he made his way back to Gryffindor tower. Maybe Snape wasn't as impossible to get along as he'd thought.

Looking at the books in his arms, he wondered if they would be able to help him. The idea of looking for books on the subject of Occlumency had never occurred to him before. Curiosity overpowered him and he stopped walking to open one of the two books at a random page.

"Please…no," he muttered in horror as he tried to decipher the words covering the page. It looked like it was written in a different language. The typeface was minuscule and the words used were like none he'd ever seen. It was obviously written by either a master of Occlumency or somebody who had no idea what they were talking about.

_Only Snape would give me a book that I couldn't read, _he fumed angrily.

_How could I have ever thought that I would be able to get along with him? I bet he's laughing at me right now._

Sighing, he snapped the book shut in disgust. He didn't dare look in the other book - there was no doubt in his mind that it was written to same way. He resumed his walk, his feet fairly dragging on the stone.

The sense of accomplishment he had felt earlier was completely gone. How was he supposed to learn Occlumency from somebody who hated him? Harry sighed again as the door to the common room came into sight. Now he would have to deal with Ron and Hermione and answer all their questions.

Just as he expected they would; the two started questioning him as soon as he entered the room.

"How did it go?" Hermione asked carefully from her seat on the couch as Harry sat across from her. He leaned closer to her, away from prying ears, and shrugged. "It was all right," he said miserably. They stared at him.

"You don't seem very pleased," she said doubtfully and Ron nodded.

"What did the greasy git do this time?" he asked him, eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," Harry muttered to the disbelieving pair. "What are those?" Hermione asked as she spied the books still lodged in his arms.

"Occlumency books Snape's making me read," he said as he handed them to her. She opened one and her eyes immediately lit with interest.

"Occlumency looks fascinating," she said as her gaze raked hungrily over the page. He turned away grumpily and Ron rolled his eyes before moving back to his game of one-man chess.

"Well you go learn Occlumency, then. You can teach me, because I'm lost!" Harry declared angrily.

Hermione looked at him with sympathy. "Do you want me to try and help you?"

He frowned. "No, I'll do it myself," he mumbled. _She doesn't think I can do it by myself, _he thought dejectedly.

But as he gathered his books he caught the hurt look on her face, and sighed. "Thanks, Hermione, but I want to learn it myself," he said.

She still looked quite offended, so he added, "If I have any problems, can I come to you?" The change was immediate. She brightened noticeably and Harry saw that Ron was grinning behind his hand.

"Of course you can, Harry," she said happily, a bright smile on her face.

"Great," he smiled back at her. "I'm going to study upstairs where it's quieter," he added, glancing at Fred and George, who sat in the corner of the room testing their inventions on themselves.

"See you later, mate," Ron said as he left.

Moments later, Harry settled himself on his bed. Pulling the hangings closed to make sure nothing distracted him, he sat crossed legged in the middle of it.

Once he was comfortable, he decided to read try the book he hadn't opened earlier. Maybe it wouldn't be as difficult to read.

Pulling _Organising the Mind _closer, he started with the author's note.

"_I am sad to say that Occlumency is fast becoming a lost art_," Marlfox wrote. "_This fact provided my primary motivation for writing this book: I want to teach those who want to learn so that they can keep Occlumency alive. It takes a patience that many people do not have; along with time and effort to learn Occlumency. Many do not even know what Occlumency is because Occlumens are very rare these days. Hopefully you will learn this incredible art and pass it along. I have been a master of Occlumency since the age of fourteen and never once have I regretted taking the time to learn it. Do not let the age I mastered it at fool you, however: it took me many years to perfect the art even though my grandmother had been training me since I was three years old. The younger you are, the easier it is to learn, because it requires a certain amount of trust, and children trust very easily…"_

He stopped reading having already decided that he liked this book. If the author's note was anything to go by, it might even be fun learning Occlumency. The author seemed likable and so far and he understood what she meant.

_Another great thing is that a book can't sneer at you, _he thought with a smirk.

Harry moved onto the first chapter feeling much better then he had before.

_Chapter One: Your Secure Place_

_The first step in Occlumency is to learn how to clear your mind. _

He closed his eyes and banged his head against the book. _I go and think that maybe I had gotten away from it and look what happens, _he thought ironically.

Not wanting to give up so soon, he turned back to the book.

_There are a series of steps you must follow to successfully clear your mind. The first step is to find yourself a secure place inside your mind. In this place you will keep all your memories; it is like a safe house or a barrier to keep other people out. Imagine yourself somewhere you feel safe - for instance, a cabin. Inside the cabin you feel safe and warm; the walls of the cabin keep everyone else out and keep your memories protected. _

_Once you have found it your safe place, gather your thoughts, memories, feelings and emotions behind it. _

Harry leaned back on his pillow thoughtfully. Where did he feel safe? _Hogwarts, _he thought initially before tossing that idea away. _I'm not safe here; Voldemort, death eater wannabes around every corner. _On that note he continued to search for a suitable secure place.

Five minutes later, though, he was starting to get frustrated. Everything he had thought of was shot down a moment later. He didn't even say anything to Ron and Neville when they bid him good night a while later.

Soon he was the only one still awake and listening to Ron snore was making him tired. _I'll figure it out tomorrow, _he thought, yawning sleepily.

He didn't even bother getting undressed and just put the books on his bedside table along with his glasses, then crawled under the covers. _If I don't learn something from these books Snape's going to give up on me._

Despite his troubled thoughts, he was asleep within a few minutes.

***~*~*~***

_Triumph raced through his veins as he laughed for the first time in weeks. Harry laughed, but the laugh was not his own. It was high and sent shivers through his kneeling servants on the stone floor. He'd have to find a way to reward them for the information they had provided. He looked over them with a thin smile; they had served him well in the last few days. He would lose his spy in his latest plan but what he would gain from it was worth it. The plan unfolded itself in his mind's eye once again. It was exceptional in every way and he laughed again. _

_Nagini slithered past his feet as she felt her master's thrilling anticipation. Lord Voldemort settled in his throne-like chair and waited impatiently for the day when he would attack._

Harry sat up in bed with a gasp for breath. _I've got to tell Dumbledore, _he thought drowsily.

His hair was plastered to his forehead as sweat ran down his face. Struggling to kick the covers off and grab his glasses, which he could only see because of a beam of moonlight, he fell off the bed in his haste to rise. _I really need to stop doing that, _he thought as he picked himself up and put his glasses on.

He looked around. All his roommates were, amazingly, still asleep. He grabbed his wand from under his pillow and pulled the curtains back around his bed, knowing that if Ron found it empty in the middle of the night, he would cause an unnecessary panic.

Glad that he hadn't changed before getting into bed, Harry headed for the door before pausing and turning back to grab the Marauder's Map and his Invisibility Cloak. It wouldn't be good if he ran into Filch or Umbridge. Throwing the cloak around his shoulders, he left the dormitory.

Down the stairs, through an empty common room and past the sleeping Fat Lady, he stole silently.

Unfolding the Marauder's Map, he found his way clear, except for Mrs. Norris in the corridor on front of Dumbledore's office.

_Maybe she'll be gone when I get up there_.

The cat was walking slowly a few corridors away from the office when the teenager came across her. Yellow eyes gazed in his direction curiously and she stood up, ready to fetch her owner. It was then that he lost the small battle between his fifteen-year-old self and the child still in him.

"Woof, woof!" he yelled as he threw the cloak off in a flurry of motion. His eyes widened as Mrs. Norris jumped one, two, then three feet high. With her tail bigger than imaginable and the hair on her back raised she spat and hissed in his direction.

His laughter followed behind her as the cat ran away. Returning to his mission, Harry took off once again for Dumbledore's office, scolding himself for stopping in the first place.

He stopped in front of the two gargoyles and was about to rattle off the names of all the sweets he knew, when they parted to allow him entrance. He blinked before remembering himself and jumped up the stairs two at a time.

He didn't even knock before entering Dumbledore's office. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that his professor knew who was coming to see him. He'd known Dumbledore long enough to realise one should never underestimate the old professor. For this very reason, it didn't even seem odd that Dumbledore was up at this unnatural hour and he saw him sitting behind his desk, with a teacup in his hand. From the Headmaster's comfortable position in the chair, he began to speak.

Harry couldn't help the hurt he felt when Dumbledore didn't look at him as he spoke.

"Harry," he said quietly as he stared at the cup in his wrinkled hands. "What brings you here at this late hour?"

The urgency that Harry had felt earlier was almost subdued by Dumbledore's calm tone.

"Voldemort's going to attack Hogwarts," the boy blurted out.

Dumbledore stilled and a voice behind him made Harry jump.

"I told you to clear your mind," Snape snarled as he came out of the shadows. It was only then the teenager noticed the other teacup on Dumbledore's desk. _How did I miss that? _he wondered.

"I tried," he protested his voice just a little higher than usual.

Snape moved forward menacingly, fists clenched at his sides. Harry stumbled backwards until he hit the wall.

"Obviously you didn't try hard enough," the Potions professor sneered sarcastically, his face looming before his least favourite student.

"Severus." The tired voice didn't sound like Dumbledore, but that's where it came from. And as Snape moved back reluctantly, Harry really looked at him. He looked old. He knew that Dumbledore was old, but he didn't really look it when he was smiling and his eyes were twinkling. He also noticed that Fawkes was gone; it seemed that he had taken all the cheer out of Dumbledore's office with him.

"Was it a vision?" the Headmaster asked patiently as he watched Snape, who was staring with narrowed eyes at Harry.

Harry focused on Dumbledore's cup of tea to avoid Snape's eyes.

"Yes," he replied, "Voldemort's found a way into the castle. He'll attack in a few days."

Snape glanced at Dumbledore and he had the sneaking suspicion that they knew something if the silent conversation going on between them was anything to go by.

"But," he continued in a quieter voice, "there was something else."

Dumbledore shifted, as if he was going to turn to look at him, but stopped himself.

"While a large portion of the Death Eaters attack Hogwarts, Voldemort's going to the Ministry of Magic."

Snape jerked and Harry's eyes snapped over to him.

"Why is Voldemort going there?" he asked slowly. Neither of the men answered and he felt his frustration mounting. He hated it when people ignored him. And he needed to know these things; it was part of his life. "Is that where the weapon is hidden?"

Dumbledore stood up from his chair, startling him.

"Thank you for informing me of this, Harry," he said briskly, "but Professor Snape and I will take it from here."

He knew a dismissal when he heard one, but he wanted answers.

"What are you going to do about this?" he asked.

"Potter," Snape said warningly but Harry stood his ground.

He was about to argue for his right to know when Dumbledore held up his hand.

"I will inform the Order of this new information, and I will of course tell you anything you need to know, Harry, about our plans, but right now I suggest that you get some sleep."

Unable to counter this with a decent objection, he nodded and left the room feeling Snape's eyes boring into his back the whole time. The door shut behind him with a quick snap that made him wince.

_Since Snape is a spy, Dumbledore must of already known of Voldemort's plans, _he surmised as the staircase carried him down.

_All I did was inform them that I haven't been practicing Occlumency by telling them about the dream! _Grumpily, he made his way back to the common room.

He entered the common room through the very irritated portrait of the Fat Lady. "This generation has no consideration for others," she grumbled. With bleary eyes, he made his way up to his room. He could see Ron's leg hanging over his bed through the hangings and wished that it was him who was sleeping. _Snape is going to be a bigger git then usual in Potions tomorr…later today._

Realising just how early it was, he groaned quietly. He had learned hardly anything in Occlumency, Snape was annoyed at him - again, and to top it all off, he was about to drop dead from exhaustion.

Unfortunately, he discovered later that his discouraging thoughts only served to keep him awake, regardless of how tired he felt. But - there was something else that kept him awake and he did not know what it was. He got up out of bed to take a shower; hoping it would clear his mind. _Today will be better, _he thought in a vain attempt to cheer himself up.

How wrong he was.


	6. Chapter 6: Fighting and Fun

It was early in the morning but Harry was wide awake. When he had entered the Room of Requirement that morning he had been frustrated. After his vision, the hurt from his meeting with Dumbledore, and his restless night, all he had wanted to do was duel somebody.

As soon as that thought had entered Harry's mind, a dummy had appeared out of nowhere, with a wooden body and fake wand that shot real spells. Harry ducked and sent another spell at the dummy. It collapsed. Harry smiled to himself and panted slightly as he stared down at the dummy. After taking a quick shower he had run down to the Room of Requirement. After a quick search he had found just what he wanted. More practice dummies then he could dream of.

Harry took his frustration out on the faceless, wooden models over and over again.

He was sweating, putrid and tired, but he had not felt so good in days. Harry was happy. And if he had been happy with that, then he was ecstatic when he found out that the dummy could be adjusted to fight better or worse. There was a knob built into the back of the dueling dummy that could be turned to one of three options: easy, medium, or difficult.

Harry found out the hard way that he could not duel on difficult. An unexpected cutting hex had made sure of that. Luckily he had dodged it just in time. The suit of armor behind him was not as lucky.

_They walk like the zombies in Dudley's video games, _Harry thought as the dummy walked toward him. _Without faces they are more then a little scary looking, _Harry thought. No matter the fact that they were made of wood, the fighting dummies were fast when set on medium.

Harry practiced with two dummies both set on medium until he felt like he was about to drop. And even though he felt exhausted, it was a pleased exhaustion. He had learned a few spells that he had never heard of before and Harry knew that they would come in handy.

_Hermione's going to be so jealous, _Harry thought evilly as he looked around at the totally destroyed dummies. He finally knew something she did not, and it was a satisfying feeling. Harry could not wait to tell Ron and Hermione about his discovery. For now he had forgotten his worries about Voldemort-plagued visions, Occulmency, and Umbridge. Happily Harry headed back up to Gryffindor Tower for a shower.

Thirty minutes later Harry was heading to the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione.

"You never told me where you went this morning," Ron said grumpily. The redhead had not been very happy to discover that his friend had left Gryffindor Tower without him.

Harry looked around and found that besides Ron, Hermione and himself, there were only a few people in the large corridor. Hermione leaned in to hear what Harry was going to say and Ron imitated her movements from Harry's other side.

"I found the perfect thing to help the DA with dueling," Harry whispered mischievously. Ron and Hermione's patience lasted three seconds before Hermione gave in.

"Harry," she scolded impatiently. "Tell us!"

So with a smile Harry told them of the practice dummies. Harry was happy to see that Ron and Hermione were thrilled about the fighting dummies.

"It was good dueling with other students, but competing with them doesn't improve our skills to the extent we might need one day," Hermione was saying. "But since the dummies can fight like a grown witch or wizard does, we can learn a good deal more."

His friends nodded, after a few moments Hermione started to speak again. "Did you learn anything from your Occlumency books, Harry?" At Hermione's question Harry groaned out loud.

Ron grinned and Hermione frowned at them both.

"Shall I take that as a 'no'?" Hermione asked as they entered the Great Hall.

"I got stuck," Harry grumbled as he sat down at Gryffindor Table.

"On what?" Hermione and Ron asked the question at the same time. Wryly grinning at them Harry continued, "The book said I had to find a safe place and…well-"

"You couldn't find one you thought suitable?" Hermione cut in knowingly.

"How did you guess?" Harry asked and he stopped filling his plate to give Hermione his full attention.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just that," she said. "I guessed."

Ron sniggered and Harry threw him a halfhearted glare. "Even Hermione guesses every once and a while," Ron said, shaking his head. "It's a miracle!" Harry said as Hermione blushed lightly and blinked embarrassedly.

With an evil grin Ron continued kidding Hermione. "We have to tell the Daily Prophet!"

Harry made a face, "Forget them," he said seriously. "We'll inform the Quibbler. They have all the important information."

Ron started choking on his pumpkin juice and even Hermione could not hold in an undignified snort.

Hermione turned back to Harry. "How long did you study?"

Harry shrugged, "I don't know, maybe an hour?"

Hermione nodded, her eyebrows crinkled in thought. _Uh oh, _Harry thought warily, he didn't like the look on his bushy-haired friend's face.

"What is it?" Harry asked her tiredly as he placed his fork down.

"Well Harry, It sounds like you gave up rather fast to me," she said with a dainty shrug.

"It does?" Harry asked in a concerned voice. Ron snorted into his food from beside Hermione.

"Don't listen to her, mate, she just wants to play teacher," Ron said.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him but any response was cut off as owls started flying in overhead.

Harry continued to eat, not even bothering to look for Hedwig. It was very rare for him to receive mail. The only one who really owled him was Sirius and then there was the occasional letter from Hagrid inviting him down for tea. So Harry was surprised when Hedwig landed before him with a letter in her beak.

"Hey girl," he whispered and held out the crust of his toast to her. She took it and Harry untied his letter from her leg.

_Sirius, _Harry thought as he immediately recognized the hand writing as that of his godfather.

"It's from Snuffles," he said to a curious Ron and Hermione.

Hermione nodded as if she expected this piece of information.

"You'd better wait until after classes to open it, Harry," she said as she stood up from the table.

Brushing crumbs of her skirt she motioned for Harry and Ron to hurry up. Harry petted Hedwig who flew off after nipping him affectionately and Ron grabbed his book bag from under the table.

"Okay," Ron said with one last bite of toast. "Let's go."

"We don't want to be late foe Herbology," Hermione said as she headed towards the Entrance Hall doors.

Ron groaned, "What will it be this time? Man-eating plants or pus-collecting?" Ron shivered theatrically and Hermione lips turned upwards in a smile.

Harry hadn't stepped outside once in the last few days and the warm sunlight on his face felt wonderful. _I could stay out here all day, _Harry thought as he surveyed the grounds. The air was fresh and it carried the scent of flowers. Harry turned to see Hermione and Ron looking just as content as he felt.

Hermione started walking towards the greenhouses but her footsteps were rather sluggish.

"We have about thirty minutes of free time after lunch," she said slowly. Harry and Ron turned to there friend wondering what she was trying to say.

"Instead of doing homework inside--we can do it outside," she finished hurriedly.

Ron grinned widely and glanced at Harry. Hermione caught their exchange and she spoke quickly.

"Just do our homework, that's all," she said with a slight blush.

"Are you telling us or yourself?" Harry said teasingly as he watched Hermione with faint surprise. In her own way, Hermione was telling them that she didn't want to do her homework during break.

_Surprises never cease, _Harry thought with a grin. Hermione, looking flustered, sped up and reached the greenhouses before Ron and Harry.

Harry slipped inside the green house to stand beside Hermione. This lesson was with the Hufflepuffs and Hannah waved at Harry from down the long table. Harry smiled back and then turned his attention to Professor Sprout.

"Good morning class," the professor said cheerily. "Today will be working with the wood anemone." Professor Sprout waved her wand and a pot of the flowering plants appeared in front of each student.

"Now," Sprout said, "who can name the main use of this plant?"

Hermione, Neville and a few others raised there hands. Sprout called on Neville for the anwser. Hermione frowned and Ron rolled his eyes at her.

Neville mumbled something incoherent and Professor Sprout frowned. "Speak up, boy," sher scolded and some students sniggered.

"It's the main ingredient in the pain reliever potion?" Neville said carefully.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Sprout asked with a smile to lessen the blow. A Hufflepuff laughed out loud at poor Neville and Harry glared at him. The boy snapped his mouth closed and looked away from Harry.

"Telling you, professor," Neville said with a blush. Sprout smiled, "Five points to Gryffindor," she said.

"Wood anemone and only _wood _anemone is the correct main ingrediant. There is also mountain anemone and regular anemone; you would have disastrous effects if you tried to use either of those for the potion."

Harry studied the plant in front of him. It was delicate and small with deeply cut leaves that appeared to be divided into three or five leaflets.

"These plants are going to stock the Hospital Wing with pain reliever potion. Only the leaflets are used in this particular potion but other parts of the plant can be used in different potions," Sprout said. She looked at the plant in admiration and Harry turned his head to hide his smile.

"Now, to collect the leaves we must be very gentle or we will kill the plant…."

Harry, Ron and Hermione left Herbology about an hour later and were on their way towards there next class when Neville caught up to them.

"When is the next DA meeting?" Neville whispered excitedly.

Harry was slightly taken back and he stumbled for words.

Luckily Hermione spoke up saving Harry from searching for words.

"How about tonight?" she asked Harry more so then Neville.

_Tonight? _Harry thought with disappointment. That sounded kind of soon to him and he was planning on studing Occulmency tonight. But Neville did not give him time to respond. "Great! I'll tell Hannah and Ernie," he said cheerfully.

Harry watched his usually shy friend run to catch up with Hannah and Ernie.

"I hope you didn't have plans," Ron said, "because it's too late to say anything now."

Harry grimaced slightly and Hermione catching his expression crinkled her eyebrows in concern. "It will only be for a couple of hours, Harry. You may still have time to do whatever you wanted to do."

Harry sighed but nodded in agreement. Hermione smiled and started talking about what they could do in the DA tonight.

"And I expect a three foot long essay on the process of becoming an Animagus," Proffesor McGonagall said. It was the end of Transfiguration and Harry was eager to get out. It had been a very interesting lesson and Hermione looked slightly starry eyed from all the information she had learned.

"What I wouldn't give to be an Animagus!" Ron exclaimed as they exited the room.

Hermione nodded eagerly. "Think of how much you could learn," she said in awe.

Harry nodded in understanding but Ron asked, "What do ya mean?"

"Well," Hermione started patiently, "If your form was something small you could listen into conversations like that horrible Skeeter women did."

Ron looked at her with wide eyes and Hermione sighed. "I mean listen into Death Eaters conversations to help the Light, not for your job!"

"Oh," Ron said with a slight blush and Hermione shook her head while Harry smiled at their antics.

"I wonder what my form would be," Harry wondered out loud as they headed toward the Great Hall for lunch.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully while Ron laughed out loud.

"Hermione would be an owl," he stated in a confident voice.

"What makes you so sure?" Hermione asked as she crossed her arms stiffly.

"You're always asking questions; it would be perfect. Who? Who?" He said and Harry burst into laughter Ron following quickly.

"Ha ha, you're_ so _funny, Ronald," Hermione said but a grin lit her face. They entered the Great Hall and Ron's stomach growled at the smells that filled the air.

Harry moved to sit next to Hermione but Ron literally jumped in front of him and flung himself into the seat. Harry amusedly sat across from them, Hermione had not even noticed and was filling her plate.

Fred and George surprised Harry by coming up to him, "Ernie told us about the DA metting tonight," said Fred in a low voice.

"Can't wait, hope you have something exciting planned," George said from Harry's other side. The twins moved of leaving Harry to his lunch.

_I guess I can show everyone the dueling dummies, _Harry thought. _I wonder if I can get twenty-eight dummies. _Harry smirked and when Ron looked at him weirdly Harry explained.

Ron and Hermione laughed but abruptly Hermione stopped.

"Umbridge isn't at the head table again. I wonder where she keeps running off to," Hermione said biting her lip.

"Off strangeling kittens, no doubt," Ron said darkly.

"Dumbledore and McGonagall don't look to happy, either, and neither does Snape, for that matter," Harry said as he studied the faces of his professors.

"When does Snape _ever_ look happy?" Ron asked disdainful tone.

Harry nodded at the truth of the statement before going back to his meal.

After lunch they headed outside to enjoy their short break.

Right outside the doors Ron looked over at Hermione and frowned.

"Here, let me take that for you Hermione," he said as he took Hermione's heavy book bag from her.

Hermione looked startled at the kind act. "Tha-thank you, Ron," she stuttered.

Ron studied the ground as he walked a slight blush on his features. "You're welcome," he mumbled.

Hermione looked at Harry bewilderment. The look on her face asked, what's with Ron?

Harry turned away to hide his wide grin. He couldn't _wait _to get Ron alone.

Hermione sat under the large boughs of a tree and Ron placed her book bag beside her gently. Hermiome smiled at him and Ron positively beamed. Hermione opened her bag to take out a book.

Harry shook his head. _If it's not for homework it's for enjoyment. _He started to walk along the lake and suddenly Ron was walking beside him.

"So, when you going to ask her?" Harry asked as he picked up an interesting stone before resuming his walk. _Time to tease,_ Harry sang in his head. He was not sure if Ron was even aware of his bizarre behaviour.

Ron frowned, "Ask who what?" He said in a mixture of puzzlement and sarcasm.

"You know," Harry said slowly, "when are you going to ask Hermione to be your girlfriend?"

Ron halted in his surprise but Harry did not stop his walk right along the edge on the lake.

_As Ron's best friend, I can't let his first crush get by without first teasing him mercilessly, _Harry thought wickedly.

Ron suddenly got over his shock and ran to catch up with Harry. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said but there was a bright red blush that gave him away.

"_Sure_ you don't," Harry said teasingly. "I don't!" Ron said desperately.

Harry grinned and began the ultimate torment.

"Ron and Hermione sittin in a tree K-I-S-S-I--Arrgh!" Harry was cut of as Ron pushed him into the lake.

Harry took a gasp of air right before he broke the surface of the dark lake.

His first reaction was to swim back to surface immediately, but Harry changed his mind as an evil idea took over.

He let himself sink down some under the murky lake. He could see, but only barely. There was no fish or Merpeople in sight, much to Harry's relief.

_Of course the Merpeople are usually near the bottom of the lake, _Harry thought. The only thing he really needed to worry about was the giant squid.

Harry waited a couple of seconds before swimming towards the suface. Now he could see the figures of Ron and Hermione standing at the edge of the lake. Harry snuck up towards Ron and until he got close enough to touch him.

_He's going to kill me, _Harry thought gleefully.

In a burst of motion Harry's hand shot out of the water to his elbow. His hand wrapped quickly around Ron's ankle and Harry yanked with all his might.

Ron descended into the lake with his arms flailing and Harry had to surface or he would have sucked in water as he laughed. The first thing he saw was Hermione's concerned face. As soon as she saw him laughing at poor Ron who had surfaced and was sputtering she started scolding him.

Harry could not here his friend rebuking him; he was laughing too hard.

"You-your face!" Harry gasped just barely keeping himself from falling over into the water.

Ron glared and started coming towards him menacingly. Still laughing Harry tried to get away before Ron caught him and took out his revenge. Hermione had stopped scolding and was now sitting on the bank as she watched.

Ron was the better swimmer and he caught Harry easily. "No!" Harry yelled in mock horror as Ron grabbed him and pushed his head under.

Ron laughed as Harry struggled but finally let go. Harry surfaced with a gasp and a sour look in Ron's direction.

His glasses were filthy and he couldn't see anything. Harry quickly cast a water proof spell on them before taking after Ron.

Ron splashed away and made it to the bank before Harry could catch him.

"You're both going to catch a cold," Hermiome said with disproval as Harry climbed out after Ron.

Harry exchanged a mischievous look with Ron and he grinned in return. They both turned on Hermione with matching grins and Hermion stood up quickly.

"Don't you da-Aaahhhh!" She was cut off as Harry and Ron ran towards her. Hermione started running, shrieking all the way. Water dripped off Harry as he ran; he could not remember having this much fun with his friends.

Ron caught Hermione around the waist and Harry grabbed her feet. Together they carried her to the lake smiling and laughing all along the way. "No," Hermione moaned as they started to swing her back and forth but a laugh escaped her mouth.

"One, two, three!" Ron yelled and he and Harry let go of Hermiome who flew into the lake with a squeal.

Ron jumped in after her with a big splash.

"You two are _horrible_!" Hermione screeched as she struggled to get out of the water.

Harry sat on the shore and watched his friends as they started to splash each other laughing the whole time.

After a while they climbed out and collapsed beside Harry. Ron shook his head like a dog showering Hermione and Harry who protested feebly.

Hermione stood up a minute later. "Come on, we have Umbridge next," she said with a sigh.

Harry frowned, the sun felt so good on his wet skin. He was not cold or tired but he felt like he could lay there with his friends forever.

_Why can't I have more days like this? _He wondered sadly.

Ron groaned but stood up when Hermione prodded him with her boot. Harry followed Ron's example with a sigh and gathered his book bag.

Hermione cast a drying charm on them all and they headed back toward the castle doors.

Harry walked into Umbridge's class with a demeanor that scared many people watching him. Head held high, jaw clenched, green eyes blazing and looking prepared for anything was how more than one girl would describe him later. This class was with the Hufflepuffs and Harry's eyes met the ones in the DA as they looked at him.

With his friends beside him, Harry sat down, crossed his arms and waited for the lesson to begin. He was ready for whatever Umbridge would hand him, or so he thought.

Umbridge came through the side door with a mock-regretful face. The class quieted, albeit slower then normally thanks, to the resent rebellion that had taken place. Harry glanced around to see that the members of the DA in the classroom had rebellious faces as they stared coldly at the professor.

"Before we begin, I have one question for Mr. Potter," Umbridge said quietly and if it was anybody else, Harry would have felt downhearted by the tone.

But this was Umbridge and all Harry felt toward the vicious woman was intense hatred.

"Do you plan on keeping up thi-this mutiny that I saw the other day, Mr. Potter?"

Umbridge stuttered to Harry in a false sad and helpless tone. One would think Umbridge was speaking to a helpless child who could not stop his wicked ways.

Harry did not know where this was going, but he was sure he would not like it.

A gentle hand squeezed his in reassurance and Harry sent a grateful glance at Hermione for her silent support before he started speaking.

"I will not consent to a ministry worker who wants to keep us unknowledgeable in the art of self-defense," Harry said, leaning forward in his seat as he did so.

Umbridge gave him a sad look that made Harry's anger bubble.

"You are too young to understand that your elders know best, Mr. Potter," Umbridge said with a sigh as she straightened her ugly sweater.

Harry was thinking very ugly thoughts at the moment and he tried to get a hold on his emotions before he did something he would regret.

"I think I understand quite well," Harry growled out even thought Hermione squeezed his hand in warning.

Umbridge was silent for a couple of seconds and the class waited with bated breath.

"You need more discipline," Umbridge said quietly as she stared at Harry. "I'll have to see about getting rid of the bans on special punishment just for your case."

Gasps echoed across the room and Harry could feel the gazes of his classmates bouncing back and forth between him and Umbridge. Harry himself was having trouble not gaping at the women while wondering what she meant.

Umbridge, being the wicked lady that she was, smiled sweetly at their expressions of shock and answered the one unasked question.

"And if corporal punishment doesn't work out your case, I'll have to get permission from the minister to use curses as well," the professor said with a mock sad smile that showed all of her teeth.

Harry could not believe what he was hearing. Surely his ears were clogged?

"After all, we can't have discontent within ourselves now can we?"

Umbridge seemed to take the classes silence as compliance to her order.

"There now," she said with a thin smile. "We got that straightened out rather quickly, didn't we?"

Nobody answered her but stared with wide eyes, she did not appear to care.

"Open your books to page one-thirty four…." And so the lesson began as more than twenty students quickly opened their books.

Through the whole Defense class Harry did not say a thing. _What am I going to do now? _He thought desperately. Umbridge had to be gotten rid of and soon, before she had everybody giving up. Hogwarts was Harry's home and he wasn't about to give it up to someone detestable as Umbridge.

He needed a plan, and it had to be a good one if it was going to get rid of the toad-like menace. Maybe he could get some parents involved; they were always willing to cause mayhem when their children were involved.

_Just look at what happened to Lupin, _Harry thought. _Lupin was chased away from Hogwarts for being a werewolf, surly the parents would demand the same thing happen to Umbridge if they knew how some of their kids were treated, _Harry thought as his gaze shifted towards his scarred hand.

_Umbridge's_ _nerve is astounding, even Snape has never threatened us with corporal punishment or curses, _Harry thought as he stared unseeingly at the text book.

There was no doubt in Harry's mind that Umbridge had already discussed the matter with the minister.

_And of course Fudge, being the idiot that he is, most likely consented, _Harry thought with anger. _Umbridge will just hang her threats over our heads, _Harry growled mentally.

Once again he felt Hermione lay a comforting hand on his clenched fist. Harry relaxed slightly. His friends were still with him.

Harry was the first to leave the classroom when the lesson was over. He felt Umbridge's evil eyes following his back all the way to the door and held back a shiver.

His classmates gathered around Harry with Ron and Hermione closest to him. Others kept away. If Umbridge had it in for Harry, they did not want the same trouble. They waited until they rounded a corner before talking.

"What are we going to do about that- that evil witch!" Dean bust out in anger. Many added their own insults and complaints.

Harry shook his head and many seemed to slump in defeat and Harry quickly held up his hands.

"Don't get downhearted! We just need to come up with something that nobody will be able to ignore," Harry said in a fierce whisper.

Lips were bit, fingernails were chewed and feet were tapped in thought.

"Has anybody told their parents about Umbridge's detentions?" Hermione asked what Harry had wondered earlier.

Glances were exchanged as people shook their heads. "Umbridge will just read it in the mail and change the letter!" exclaimed somebody and other voices were added in agreement.

Harry sighed and looked at his classmates and discovered that all of them were in the DA and they looked ready for action.

"We can discuss this tonight. You know where," Harry said in a whisper that carried to his classmates. They nodded and dispersed to their classes.

Next was Potions class, and Harry prepared himself for the verbal abuse that was sure to come.

"Do you have a plan?" Ron asked from beside Harry.

"About Umbridge?" Harry asked in puzzlement. Ron rolled his eyes at his friend and Hermione shot him a look that clearly said 'play nice.'

"Well, yeah--I kinda have a plan," Harry said weakly and with a shrug.

"Wonderful," Ron drawled sarcastically and Harry could not help thinking that his red-haired friend was right.

"Oh, come on you two," Hermione said in a cheerful voice that was a little stressed. "Both of you are acting like a pair of pessimists! Where's the fun in life if you think the worst about everything?" Hermione's words made Harry and Ron exchange looks.

"We should throw her in the lake more often if she's going to be this cheery," Ron said.

Hermione slapped Ron on his arm as he and Harry started laughing. Even as they reached the Potions classroom, Harry's smile only faltered slightly. The Slytherins around the door to the classroom looked up curiously as the friends approached.

"Just keep your cool, mate," Ron said in a whisper and he patted Harry on his back.

Harry snorted. "Easy for you to say."

Hermione and Ron shot each other a look and Harry started to feel irked at that alone. Plus the tension at having the Slytherins staring at him was not helping his temper.

Harry saw Draco Malfoy heading toward him and braced himself. But the door to the Potions classroom opened before Draco reached him. "Enter," snarled Snape's vioce.

With a regretful look towards Harry, Draco followed Snape's instructions. He and the other Slytherins hurried into the room sneering, smirking or ignoring the three Gryffindors as they went.

Harry entered the room with the other Gryffindors and quickly took a seat, trying not to draw Snape's attention.

But Harry knew as soon as Snape's eyes met his; that this was going to be one of his more unpleasant then usual potion classes.


	7. Chapter 7: Muggle Dueling

Harry stared into Snape's eyes and had to fight down a gulp of fear at the look on his professor's face.

_What did I do now? _Harry wondered as Snape turned away_. And why in the world is it always me that seems to irritate the man the most?_

_Or, _Harry wondered as Snape took out his ebony wand, _is it just because he hates me?_

Harry did not have anymore time to wonder about the mystery that was his Potions professor as instructions appeared on the board.

"I'm assigning you partners for this potion," Snape said shortly as he took a roll of paper of his desk an unrolled it. Hermione, who was sitting beside Harry, stiffened. Harry glanced at her and could tell by her expression that she knew something was going on and she did not like it.

Harry took a subtle look around him and found that most of the Slytherins had smug or excited looks on their faces. They could all probably tell that Snape was not in a good mood today and that meant more point loss for the other house The dark haired teen knew before Snape called out his name that he was going to be matched with a certain Slytherin.

Hermione wandered off with a stifled sigh to sit with Pansy Parkinson as Snape called out her partner. Harry waited impatiently as all his friends were assigned to Slytherin partners.

"Potter, sit with Malfoy," Snape finally said with a little bit more sneer in his voice than he had used naming all the other partners.

Harry stiffly gathered his bag and made his way over to Malfoy's desk, as though he were walking to his death. Malfoy met his eyes with a sneer of pure disgust.

Harry saw Hermione watching him and Malfoy with a worried expression. Harry rolled his eyes for her to see and Hermione, being the good friend that she was, tried to smile. Even though it looked more like a grimace, it made Harry feel slightly better.

As Harry sat down, Malfoy scooted away, like Harry was a dirty dog. Since Harry was feeling particularly malicious today, he sat down closer to Malfoy than was needed. The black-haired teen felt immense satisfaction as Malfoy was forced to sit on the edge of the bench to keep away from Harry.

Malfoy must have notices Harry's smug expression. The blond's eyes widened as he realized what Harry had been doing and then narrowed his eyes with evil intent. Harry did not have time to ponder over what Malfoy was thinking as Snape started the class.

"This is a difficult potion and while many of you will undoubtedly fail," Snape stared at Harry, "I do _not_want my classroom disrupted my some idiot's mistake," Snape said quietly.

"Is that clear?" the professor asked and an echoing, "Yes sir," rang through the room.

Harry studied the instructions with narrowed eyes. _Why does his handwriting need to be so small and cramped? _Harry mentally grumbled. He could barely read his professor's hand writing and Harry wondered if Snape wrote like that on purpose.

"Are you going to continue to stare at the blackboard all day, Potty?" Malfoy asked snidely from beside Harry. Harry did not spare the crude blond a glance as he started to chop the ingredients.

Even though Harry thought he was doing a good job at chopping the tremer root, Malfoy did not seem to agree.

"Give me that," Malfoy snarled and pulled the knife out of Harry's hand without waiting for a response.

"Your going to destroy the potion, Potter," Malfoy in disgust and Harry watched him with irritation.

_Who does he think he is? _Harry thought angrily. The black-haired boy was still watching Malfoy chop the root into neat pieces when Snape saw him. Without pause the man slid over to there table. "Making Mr. Malfoy do all the work, Potter?"

Snape waved his hand mock-dismissively. "It must run in the family."

Harry did not dare look at his professor as he started to prepare the potion again. He had barely managed to not blow up in Umbridge's face and he decided not to test his strength further. He still had to put up with Occlumency lessons tomorrow night and those did not go well when Snape was angry. If Harry went into a frenzy now, Snape would not be manageable during their next lesson.

The last thing Harry needed now was an infuriated Potions master. Harry ignored Malfoy's mumbled complaints about he prepared the potion. _He wants to get me all riled up, _Harry told himself. _Don't give him the satisfaction. _After the class was over with, Harry could always get Fred and George to slip the slimy Slytherin one of their wilder inventions. Harry almost smirked at the idea of Malfoy sporting red and gold spots, but stopped himself and tried to concentrate on the potion.

_Add the benir weed directly after adding the tremer root, _Harry read and did as he was instructed. He could feel Malfoy and the other Slytherins watching and waiting for when he would make a mistake. While Malfoy probably did not really want to fail, Harry was sure that the blond would not mind as long as Harry suffered point loss or received a detention. That thought made Harry clench his teeth and he wondered fleetingly how much Malfoy actually hated him.

It happened quickly. One second the potion was bubbling merrily; the next, the potion blew up. Malfoy was already out of the chair and half way across the room when it blew up, but Harry was not as lucky.

The teen had turned just in time to avoid a face-full of the scalding potion, but his back bore the full force of the explosion. The force of the potion had pushed Harry into the floor where he sat now feeling horrible and soaked.

"Idiot," Snape snarled. "You continue to surprise me with the depth of your stupidity, Potter!"

Harry looked up to see Snape making his way towards the still dripping remains of the cauldron. "Potter did it, professor," Malfoy spoke up unnecessarily from somewhere behind Harry.

Harry stood up infuriated. "I did not," he snarled in a voice that made Snape narrow his eyes and a few students flinch. Harry gestured towards Malfoy and himself. "Our potion exploding was an act of sabotage, professor!"

Snape sneered at him, "Stop with the dramatics, Potter. It will get you no where. Fifty points from Gryffindor."

Harry saw red and Snape must have seen how close his student was to the edge.

"Temper, Potter, or I'll be forced to take more," he warned with a smirk and Harry struggled to control himself. With a wave of his wand Snape had the mess cleaned up and Harry's clothes dry. But the burns remained on Harry's back and Snape made no move to do anything about them.

Harry was sure that the professor knew he had been burned. But Snape did not make a move to do anything about it.

"Sit down, Potter, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said and he moved back to the front of the class.

Harry sat. His face was a stiff mask as he stared straight ahead, not meeting anyone's eyes. Malfoy sat down with a smirk on his face that made Harry want to punch him.

Snape spoke to the class. "Potter's caused enough chaos in my classroom for one day; anymore destruction and that person will have detention for a month," and that was why Harry and Malfoy sat through the rest of the class doing nothing.

Malfoy seemed content to ignore Harry and pick at his manicured nails. Harry, on the other hand, kept shifting in his seat as he waited for Potions to end so he could escape. He had to practice Occlumency and learn _something _before his lesson with Snape before tomorrow night. There was no telling what course of action the professor would take if he found out that Harry had not learned anything. Harry bit his lip worriedly and mentally scolded himself.

_I should have practiced during today's break, _Harry thought. _Instead I messed around with Ron and Hermione at the lake. _If Harry had not been surrounded by people he would have banged his head against the desk before him.

Older Harry had warned him what would happen if he did not learn Occlumency. Sirius would die and his whole world would fall apart after that. An immeasurable amount of guilt suddenly landed on Harry and the teen felt like he was going to be sick.

Harry swallowed against the queasy feeling in his stomach. _I can still learn Olcclumency and save Sirius if I put everything else to the side and really practice, _Harry told himself as Snape got onto a Gryffindor about something.

It would be a sacrifice to give up time with Ron, Hermione, and his other friends. _But Sirius is worth it, _Harry thought. The man was the closest thing to a parent Harry had, the teen could not bear to lose someone else close to him.

His lip was starting to hurt so Harry stopped biting it and started biting his nail instead.

If Sirius lived and maybe one day was found innocent… Harry smiled lightly at the thought. _A life without the Dursleys, _Harry thought with and a small sigh made it past his lips. Harry looked around to see if anyone noticed; Malfoy was watching him chew on his nail with repulsion.

Harry rolled his eyes at the blond teen beside him but stopped chewing on his nails and looked away. It was not his fault that he could not sit without doing _something. _

_I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth like you_,_Malfoy, _Harry thought.

The blond probably had a house elf that brushed his teeth in the morning, afternoon, and before going to sleep. A smirk found its way on to Harry's face and the teen angled his face down so that no one would see. If Snape took the smirk as mockery… Harry shivered theatrically at the thought. Snape could come up with the most disgusting detentions. _More then half of the school knows that from experience, _Harry thought grimly.

Harry turned his thought back to thoughts that did not involve disemboweling small animals. _I really need to read more of my book. _Harry thought about the book his future self had given him. _It needs a title, _Harry mused silently.

_Notes from the Man I Became? _Harry almost snorted at the idea. _The, should I? Would I? Could I? Book, _Harry hid a grin behind his hand. _The Owner's Manual, maybe, or what about, Talking To Myself, _Harry thought amusedly.

A pale hand slammed down on Harry's desk surprising the teen out of his mental deliberation.

Harry's head jerked up and his green eyes met those of his Potions professor.

"If you are still in this classroom in ten seconds Potter, remedial potions may just be at an end," Snape snarled.

Harry practically ran out of the grim classroom and past the few remaining students. He met Ron and Hermione just outside the door.

"I tried to get your attention, mate," Ron said to Harry.

"That's okay Ron," Harry muttered and started walking with his two best friends. The black-haired teen glanced back at the now-closed Potions classroom door and saw that Malfoy was following behind rather closely. The teen looked away but not before his and Malfoy's eyes met. Looking back, Harry wished he would have sped up and ignored Malfoy.

It really was inevitable. Gryffindors were known for there bravery and occasionally jumping before they thought. Slytherins were known for their cunning and doing whatever it took to get what they wanted.

And at that moment what Draco Malfoy wanted most,was to enrage Harry Potter. And being a natural Slytherin, Malfoy was determined to do just that.

Harry knew what Malfoy was after as soon as the blond opened his mouth.

"Hey Potty, hold on!" the blond called out. Harry closed his eyes momentarily but besides that he ignored the blond totally. Beside Harry, Ron was grinding his teeth while Hermione muttered, "Just ignore him."

Many heads had turned at Malfoy's declaration, waiting and some hoping for a fight.

Malfoy walked a few feet behind his targets, Crabbe and Goyle following along in his wake like two huge, lumbering shadows.

"My, my, Potty," Malfoy said loud enough for the whole corridor to hear. "You really had it rough today. If I were incompetent enough to make Snape that mad, I'd probably curl up in a cupboard and die." Malfoy paused dramatically. "Of course, I guess you're used to that kind of thing."

Harry stumbled slightly in his shock but kept walking and most of the students in the corridor gasped at Malfoy's exclamation.

Hermione's eyes were wide and Ron looked pale but angry. Harry grabbed one of both their arms and moved farther away from Malfoy. The black-haired teen had known that the information revealed in that horrible potions class was too good to be kept quiet. But it seemed that no one wanted to talk about it around Harry. Until now, that is.

_It will be like Malfoy broke a dam, _Harry thought grimly. _The rumors will fly and sooner or later it will leak into the papers. I'll be as pathetic as I was in fourth year, _Harry grumbled to himself as he pulled his friends down the long corridor.

Malfoy must have been determine because he walked faster but managed to look unhurried as he caught up with the three Gryffindors. He cut them off with his arms spread wide and a look of innocent curiosity on his face.

"Tell me, do Muggles _normally_lock their young up? I, of course, think they all belong in cages, but it is really quite admirable if they're starting to recognize their own filth," Malfoy said flippantly.

Harry could feel Ron struggling and after sending his friend a warning glare, Harry let him and Hermione go. Malfoy looked like he was preparing himself to spew more subtle or unsubtle insults.

Harry intervened with a swift and uncaring, "Go annoy someone else, Malfoy." But Harry was starting to feel irked at the taunts. What was worse was the fact that Malfoy was right. It was easier to ignore something if he knew it was not true, but these were sad facts about how he lived.

"Tell me something, Potter, before I leave," Malfoy said and Harry stopped walking and spun around to face the blond. A crowd was waiting anxiously for something to happen. Harry wished they would go get a teacher before things got out of hand, but no one moved.

"I don't have time to waste on you, Malfoy, so spill it then leave," Harry snarled in a pretty good impression of Snape.

Malfoy just smirked at Harry like he could see right through him and it made Harry's blood boiled.

"I can't see how you wound up with Muggles that loathe you enough to make you live in a cupboard. Did your mother's mudblood clog up her br--"

Harry threw himself at Draco before he could finish the rest of his sentence. His fist crashed into Malfoy's wide-eyed face.

"Harry, don't do it! No!" Harry heard Hermione scream from somewhere in the gathering crowd. Harry and Malfoy struggled on the stone floor. Malfoy bit his tongue as Harry punched him again and blood slid out the corner of his mouth as he tried to duck Harry's fists. Students gathered closer around the fight, Slytherin and Gryffindor students both cheering loudly for their housemate. All Harry wanted to do was hurt Malfoy. Fists flew as each teenager tried to get in a good shot.

Malfoy managed to flip Harry over on his back and punch him in the stomach before Harry attacked his legs. Malfoy landed with a crash as his book bag still attached to his arm tore open, ink bottles and parchment flew everywhere.

Malfoy jumped up from his position on the floor with a snarl and pushed Harry, putting all his weight into it. Harry landed hard onto some of Malfoy's scattered ink bottles. They broke under Harry's weight and Harry winced as broken glass dug into his skin.

Malfoy smiled thinly when Harry winced and put his weight onto Harry's shoulders making the glass go deeper into Harry's skin.

"Arrgh!" Harry growled before he managed to kick Malfoy away and got off the ground.

Some of the gathered students gasped when they saw the blood on the floor.

"_IMPEDIMENTA!" _

The screamed spell blasted Harry and Malfoy apart. Harry flew backwards into a wall. while Malfoy's landing was cushioned by the students that he flew into.

Ron and Hermione ran worriedly to Harry but Professor Snape got there first. Snape grabbed Harry by his front and harshly pulled him to his feet. Harry stood dizzily in his professor's grasp and tried to blink away the spots in his eyesight. Across the room, Professor McGonagall had Malfoy by his ear.

"Get out!" Snape hissed threateningly and the students scattered. "All of you!" he added to Ron and Hermione, who, after grabbing Harry's bag, left. But they looked back at Harry with worried expressions.

"What were you two thinking? Fighting like Muggles all over the ground!" McGonagall raged at the two teens.

Malfoy glowered at her and McGonagall tightened her grip on his ear with a raised eyebrow and Malfoy winced.

"I didn't do anything, honest, professors! Potter just attacked me!" the blond whined.

McGonagall looked at Harry for confirmation. Harry just shook his head.

"We will find out which story is true. I've had enough of this, boys. I won't stand for anymore of your antics!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"Come, we're going to the Headmaster," Snape said with narrowed eyes as he hauled Harry roughly by his arm toward the Headmaster's office. McGonagall was right behind him and still holding Malfoy by his ear.

……………………

Ten minutes later Harry and Malfoy stood in front of the Headmaster's desk. Dumbledore's Pensieve stood on the desk waiting to be used.

"Think of how the fight started, Mr. Malfoy, up to the time Professor Snape and McGonagall intervened," Professor Dumbledore said calmly from beside the blond.

"What are you going to do?" Malfoy asked sharply as he stared at Dumbledore's wand warily.

"Mr. Malfoy..." Snape warned silkily.

"Fine but don't think I'm not going to tell Father about this!" Malfoy snapped then closed his eyes tight and Dumbledore gently put the tip of his wand and Malfoy's temple.

Harry watched amazed as Dumbledore's wand pulled out a thin, milky, floating strand from Malfoy's mind and deposited it into the Pensieve. Harry's memory's had already been deposited in the Pensieve. Dumbledore put down his wand and Malfoy opened his eyes and he looked inside the Pensieve with distaste. His and Harry's memory strands were circling each other almost warily.

"Potter's memory will corrupt mine! Can't you separate them or something?" The blond teen whined again and Harry rolled his eyes from where he sat while Dumbledore smiled patiently.

"Sit please, Mr. Malfoy. This will only take a moment," Professor Dumbledore said.

Malfoy sat with his arms crossed in the seat farthest away from Harry. With a warning look aimed at the two teens, the professors moved to view their memories to decide what the punishment should be and where the fault lay.

"This is all your fault!" Malfoy accused as soon as the professors had entered the Pensieve.

Harry said nothing. He was already in trouble and he really didn't want anymore trouble then what he was already in. _Just great. How am I ever going to have time to study Occlumency after they assign me a punishment? _

Harry knew that the fight was his fault just as much as it was Malfoy's. If he had just ignored Malfoy… Harry sighed and looked around the office.

Fawkes was nowhere in sight, to Harry's disappointment. Every movement he made caused him pain and if Fawkes had been here the bird might have healed him.

Slowly Harry reached a hand around his back. His finger were pricked on something embedded in his back. He quickly drew his hand away.

His finger was bleeding and the rest of his palm was covered in blood from his back. _I must have hurt my back worse then I thought, _Harry thought feeling a little sick at the sight of his blood.

The professors appeared back out of the Pensieve and Snape immediately saw Harry's bloody hand. Quicker than a snake, he grabbed Harry's hand and he wouldn't let go when Harry tugged.

Before Harry could say anything, Snape had pulled him out of the chair, yanked of his robe and pulled up his muggle shirt, and was now examining at his injured back.

Harry stood still in surprise and embarrassment as Snape examined his back.

Dumbledore thru floo powder in the fire and spoke in it but Harry was wondering about his professor's unnerving behavior.

"It's mostly just blood. The damage is not too serious," Snape said as he dropped Harry's shirt to a worried-looking McGonagall.

"I'm sending you both to the infirmary while Professor Snape and McGonagall and I decide your punishment," Dumbledore said severely.

Harry nodded and moved toward the fire. He flooed through and Malfoy followed him a second later. Pomfrey ushered them over to two beds and then went back to the fire.

Professor Dumbledore spoke to Madam Pomfrey through the fire. They seemed to be having an argument, and finally Madam Pomfrey nodded grimly.

Professor Dumbledore cut the connection and Madam Pomfrey moved and started to work on Harry. Draco complained about Harry being tended to first, but Madam Pomfrey silenced him with a stern glance. She didn't make her usual remarks about carelessness and for that Harry was grateful.

Then Madam Pomfrey finished with Harry and went to work on Draco who had stopped grumbling but was still glaring at Harry. When Madam Pomfrey was done with him she went to her rooms after giving both boys a quick warning to stay where they were and not to start any trouble. Just when the silence started to get unbearable, the doors to the infirmary opened and Professor Dumbledore came through.

"Tomorrow morning your punishment will start," Dumbledore said without pause.

Malfoy immediately got up but Dumbledore held up a hand.

"I have asked Madam Pomfrey not to heal your wounds entirely; hopefully it will be a reminder that fighting is not always the best course of action." Harry nodded but Draco stood stiffly and did not move.

"You may go," Professor Dumbledore said and Harry left with Malfoy right behind him. Neither had asked about the punishment. Neither of them really wanted to know.

Harry made his way towards the Gryffindor table as soon as he had entered the Great Hall. Beside him, Malfoy headed towards the Slytherin table. Quite a few heads turned to look at them. Word of the fight had spread like wildfire.

Harry sighed and wished that he was normal. Harry sat between Ron and Hermione and loaded his plate while they fired questions back and forth.

"What happened?" Hermione asked. "Who decided your punishment?"

"Did Malfoy get into as much trouble as you?" Ron asked excitedly.

Harry interrupted them both. "Dumbledore said that our punishment would start tomorrow and no, Hermione, I have no idea what my punishmernt is."

"He didn't tell you?" Ron said blankly and Harry shook his head.

"I think Dumbledore wants me to think it over and get real anxious," Harry said as he took a bite of poatatoes that tasted like sawdust in his mouth.

"Aren't you anxious?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.

"I'm terrified," Harry muttered and Hermione smiled pityingly. "It can't be that bad, mate," Ron said and he clapped Harry on his back. Harry fliched at the pain it caused but Ron did not notice.

"Malfoy started it. His punishment should be worse then yours," Seamus said from two seats down, where he had been listening.

"Yes, but I retaliated so I'm just as guilty," Harry said as he swirled his food around his plate. Their end of the table quieted in sympathy for Harry.

……………………

After dinner Harry headed up to the Gryffindor common room with his two friends following. Harry had gotten his bag back from Hermione and it swung from his shoulder.

"I'm not going to the DA meeting tonight," Harry whispered to them as they walked up the stairs.

"Why?" Hermione and Ron asked at the same time. Harry grinned at the before answering.

"I have to study Occulmency tonight. If I haven't learnt anything by tomorrow Snape's going to kick me out."

Hermione bit her lip. "I wished you would have told us that earlier, Harry. I could have helped you during today's break," she said reproachfully.

"Sorry," Harry muttered as they entered the common room. Hermione just sighed and shook her head.

Soon after that Hermione and Ron borrowed Harry's Invisability Cloak and the Maraders Map. "Practice really hard while we're gone okay?" Hermione asked Harry.

The black-haired teen nodded and after the portrait had closed he headed up to his dorm.

……………………

Harry sighed loudly thirty minutes later. He still had not found a safe place and was starting to wonder what was wrong with him. _It doesn't help that I keep wondering what my punishment is going to be, _Harry thought.

The teen had read halfway through both books and was surprised to realize that _Occlumency: a Beginner's Guide_ was not as difficult to understand as he had first thought. Harry was sure that he understood what the books were telling him, he just could not find a place he felt safe. If he could not do that, then there was no place to gather his memories and thoughts into.

It was completely frustrating and tiring. Harry pushed the books to the side and remembered Sirius's letter. The teen scrambled for his bag and dug through it looking for the letter. It was no where to be found and Harry felt a tinge of fear as he stared down at this bag.

_Maybe Hermione took the letter out and put it somewhere else? _Harry hoped. He could not understand why Hermione would do that though.

Harry got of the bed and got down on his hands to look around the floor.

_Maybe it fell out somewhere? _Harry thought with false hope. The teen swallowed thickly, _Where the heck is Sirius's letter?_

After worrying for several minutes Harry got of the floor shakily. _I probably put it somewhere and forgot, _Harry decided that he would find it sooner or later and he was just being silly.

The teen sat back down on the bed and decided to practice the breathing techniques the books had mentioned.

It was important to have his emotions under control and his mind steady. Harry lay down and started to breathe in. He held it for three seconds before letting out and repeating the exercise.

Harry was glad that there was no one in the dormitory. It was nice to have privacy after the day he had had. The teen felt calm, relaxed, and safe as he laid there.

What Harry did not count on was the exercises putting him to sleep. But they did and because of that the teen never noticed that he had cleared his mind.


	8. Chapter 8: Punishment

Harry woke up with as feeling of dread is his stomach. This was not going to be a good day. He could feel it. There was no way to deny or pass it off as a silly feeling that had been brought on by his overreacting teenage mind. As he lay there under the covers, slightly afraid to get out of bed, Harry thought about last night.

He had slept quite peacefully through the night. The teen had not awoken when the other boys entered the room. Harry could have been left alone the whole night judging by how he felt. But there was that worrying sense in the air that seemed to tell of unheard of doom.

Okay, Harry thought with an eye roll, enough with the dramatics. I'm starting to sound like Trelawney. After all, Harry didn't have her class anymore, so he certainly didn't want to start acting like the woman.

Harry dragged himself out of the warm sheets and headed for the showers. I wonder how the DA meeting went last night? Harry wondered as he turned on the faucet. The members of the DA were sure to have liked the wooden fighting dummies that Harry had discovered. But how had they fought against them? Harry needed to know so he could show them their mistakes and turn them into real duelers.

Thinking of duels had Harry's mind wondering back to his rather stupid mistake he had made the other day. I could have been kicked out of Hogwarts for fighting with Malfoy, Harry realized and the hot water did nothing to stop the chill that ran over his skin.

_The Malfoy's are popular with the wizarding bigwigs,_ Harry thought.

If anyone could get him in major trouble for fighting with Draco, it was them.

Harry had seen how the minister and Lucius Malfoy got along earlier this year while he was at his hearing. They looked like friends and they both shared the dislike of Dumbledore.

Harry sighed, the sound bouncing of the walls of the almost empty room, and wondered what his punishment would be. A month's worth of detentions with Filch or Snape? Harry's thoughts were still grim when he got out of the shower. One thing was for sure: if Snape had any say in what his punishment would be, Harry was doomed.

………………………

Harry descended the boys dormitory staircase with Ron right behind him. Hermione was waiting for them at the bottom.

"Harry, did Ron tell you about the DA meeting?" was the first thing Hermione said.

"Good morning to you too, Hermione, and no, Ron did not tell me," Harry said in amusement. Hermione looked excited and opened her mouth before biting her lip and looking around the common room. The room was almost empty with only a few people lingering. Hermione leaned in some to talk to Harry and Ron.

"I know we already did this but…what if we did another interview to tell the wizarding world what Umbridge is doing here?" Harry had a frown on his face before Hermione had finished talking.

"Hermione, to do that a second time in such a short period of time…" Harry stopped to shake his head. "It's makes us look like needy, attention-seeking brats!" Harry said loudly, more then one face turned to stare and Harry ducked his head.

"Harry, the first interview was to let people know about Voldemort's return," Hermione said softly as they moved toward the exit.

Ron cut in, "And this interview would let people know what the toad is doing to their kids and Hogwarts."

Hermione nodded frantically. "Nobody's going to call us attention-seeking brats for telling them that. They would want to know Harry."

Harry bit his lip. Could Luna get in trouble for doing this? he asked himself worriedly.

"What does Luna have to say about this? It is her father's magazine after all," Harry said.

Hermione smiled brightly. "I already asked her. She said that her father would love to. Your last interview sold like hot cakes, Harry," Hermione finished.

Harry still looked unsure and Ron sighed. "You don't even have to be in the interview mate. Lee, Hannah, and the others who got detention with Umbridge would do it," Ron said and Hermione jumped in.

"But, it would be good if you said something in the interview," Hermione took a deep breath and seemed to prepare herself for something. "I know you don't like the fame, Harry, but the blunt truth is that people look at you for hope," Hermione said softly. Harry groaned and opened his mouth to protest his face was already becoming pink.

Hermione did not let him speak. "They do, Harry. I don't think you realize how horrible the first war was. People were dying, suffering through horrible torture and families were torn apart. When Voldemort was stopped that night it was a miracle and brought hope back to so many people."

Ron put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Three of my mum's uncles died and a lot of cousins that I never got to meet. Even though I was too young to remember it, Bill has told me how it was." Ron stopped to shake his head.

They had almost reached the doors to the Great Hall and Harry sighed.

"I'll do it," He said with defeat. Hermione and Ron smiled at him a bit smugly.

Harry muttered something about, "ganging up the poor orphan," and Hermione glared at him while Ron laughed.

Right in front of the doors, Harry remembered something and he held out his arm to stop Hermione and Ron from entering. "Last night I couldn't find Snuffles letter," he said in a whisper. "I thought that maybe you had it?" He directed the question at Hermione and she frowned in concern.

"Harry, I don't have the letter." She paused. "Do you mean to tell me that you lost it?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know what happened to it. I looked everywhere and it's nowhere to be found."

"If someone like Umbridge gets a hold of that," Ron trailed of with worry in his voice and the friends looked at each other.

"We can look for it later," Hermione said with a sigh and together they entered the Great Hall.

It was obvious that the schools inhabitants had heard about Harry's and Malfoy's undecided punishment. The whole room quieted significantly when Harry, Ron and Hermione entered before rising louder than before.

Harry pretended not to notice as he always did and headed towards the Gryffindor table at a hurried pace._ Why do they have to do that?_ Harry asked himself. It was not like he was the only person in Hogwarts to have a fist fight.

The reaction of the rest of the school just added to the anxiousness Harry already felt. Dumbledore was going to tell Harry what his punishment was going to be sometime today. Would he tell it in front of the whole school? Harry wondered with a sense of dread.

Surly not. Dumbledore was not a mean man. _But that would be embarrassing enough to make me think before I acted,_ Harry thought. The teen did not feel hungry, but he ate anyway, just enough to make Hermione happy. She was very stern about making sure Harry ate, although it was annoying sometimes, Harry did not really mind.

Hermione was just being a good friend. _She doesn't have to worry about Ron eating enough,_ Harry thought with a smirk. Ron was stuffing his face like he had not eaten in a week.

Hermione interrupted Harry thoughts by speaking in a whisper, "The DA just loved the training dummies and I think we got more exercise with them last night then we had in ages."

Ron nodded and swallowed before saying, "A lot of us really worked up a sweat. It was fun, though." A thoughtful expression appeared on Ron's face. "I wonder if I can get a six pack," Ron muttered wistfully almost to himself.

Harry glanced at Hermione's face before bursting into laughter and Hermione giggled while covering her mouth. Ron glared and turned red while chucking a piece of toast at Harry.

The toast hit Harry and bounced to the floor with the black haired teen laughing the whole time. When Harry was done laughing he looked at Ron to see a smile forcing its way on the redhead's face.

"Children," muttered Hermione who was shaking her head.

A few minutes later they headed off to their first class of the day, Charms. Flitwick was already sitting behind his desk, barely visible to anyone not looking for him.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat at their desks in the front of the room and opened their books. The entire lesson Harry wrote down notes and listened to what Flitwick was saying. Hermione would be pleased at the way he paid attention and ignored Ron who was tapping his fingers against his desk in boredom.

Harry had heard of grownups saying that they wished they had paid more attention while they were in school, but he had not taken it seriously until now. One of the things that his future self had written down was to pay more attention in class.

_I want to remember the things I learned in school,_ Harry thought seriously and so he added 'pay more attention in classes' to his things to do list. _As if it wasn't long enough,_ Harry thought dryly.

At the end of the class, Harry was pleased with himself. It was a nice feeling. The lessons after that passed quickly, and with no Defense Against the Dark Arts or Potions classes to go to, Harry was pretty happy.

The only thing that darkened his sky was the thought of what his punishment would be.

_I already had my broom taken away and that can't happen again, so it has to be some other kind of punishment_, Harry thought as he headed toward lunch.

"Hermione, what do you think would be a good punishment for what me and Malfoy did?" Harry asked curiously. Hermione seemed surprised at the question. "I thought you would want to put that out of you mind," Hermione said with creased eyebrows.

"Yeah mate, there's no need to worry yourself with that right now. It sounds like Dumbledore doesn't even know what your punishment is," Ron said with a smile.

Harry shook his head in disagreement. "I want to be prepared, you know? What if he decides to do something I won't expect? I don't want to react shocked," he said.

Hermione nodded and Ron growled, "Malfoy probably can't wait to rub your punishment in your face."

"That would be pretty stupid, though. After all, he is going to be punished as well," Hermione said and Ron smiled at the thought of Malfoy being in trouble.

"Whatever Dumbledore comes up with it won't be as great as the amazing bouncing ferret," Ron said with a laugh as they entered the Great Hall.

Harry knew Dumbledore would not do that to a student but he could not help wondering what animal he would be turned into if it did happen.

They sat at their usual spot at the Gryffindor table and started to fix there plates.

Harry has just took a bite of corn on the cob when Fred plopped down beside him.

"Those training dummies were brilliant Harry," he said truthfully and George chimed in as he appeared beside Fred. "Yes, bloody brilliant mate. Me and Fred have never seen anything like it."

Harry had a half grin on his face as he listened to the twins. Everybody liked the training dummies, he thought happily.

"We thought about designing special training dummies after we saw yours," Fred said with a poke to Harry's shoulder. "Give them more detail, like they could have the face of a person the dueler hates," George said quickly before Fred jumped in.

"It would get the dueler all fired up and make him or her work harder to beat the dummy, don't you think?" Harry did not have a chance to say anything before the twins were talking again.

"Imagine how they would sell!"

"Schools would by them for their defense classes."

"Imagine the money we could make from them!"

It was like watching a tennis game, Harry decided amusedly. The twins were so excited that they shot out their ideas before Harry or anyone else could say anything.

Suddenly they stopped and both clapped Harry on his shoulder. "Thanks for the idea, mate," they said in a cheery chorus.

Then they were gone leaving Harry's head spinning in their wake. Ron was smirking at Harry and Hermione grinned at her plate.

"I thought they would never stop," Harry said with a chuckle and Ron just shook his head. "It's your own fault," he chanted before laughing at the look Harry shot him.

Half way through lunch, a barn owl landed beside Harry's plate. The black haired teen unattached the letter on the owl's leg and it flew away.

"Hey," Ron said and Harry looked up from the still unopened letter, "the ferret got a letter, too." Harry glanced toward the Slytherin table to see Malfoy taking a letter from a barn owl.

"It's probably from Dumbledore," Hermione said and Harry opened the letter to see.

"Yep, he wants me to come to his office after lunch," Harry said with a sigh before he chuckled. "The password is 'sugar quill.'"

Ron shook his head and the black-haired teen looked at his almost empty plate. He did not feel hungry any more.

Hermione saw his expression and reached over the table to pat his hand. "I'm sure it won't be too bad," she said with a small smile. Harry returned the smile, but it did not meet his worried eyes, so he gave up trying and let it fall into a frown.

Ron chuckled at his friend's face while he reached over to take Harry's uneaten roll. "Hermione is right, Harry. It won't do any good to worry about it. What's the worst thing that can happen?"

"Knock on wood," Harry grumbled and he rapped his fist against the table. Hermione rolled her eyes and went into a speech about superstitions while Harry ignored the glare Ron sent his way.

"Now she'll never shut up," he muttered and yelped when Hermione slapped his arm slightly. Harry grinned at his friend's antics and made an effort to go back to eating.

After lunch was done, Ron and Hermione headed of to Herbology and Harry went towards Dumbledore's office. Half way to the office Harry saw Malfoy up ahead of him and the blond must have heard him because he turned around to glare.

Harry was preparing himself for the verbal the inevitable verbal assault, but surprisingly the blond just turned with his head held high and stalked down the hall.

The black-haired teen did not know whether to laugh at Malfoy's actions or be glad that he had not tried to make him mad. Shrugging, Harry followed a bit behind the blond, not wanting to draw a response from him if he got too close.

At the bottom of the staircase that led to Dumbledore's office Malfoy paused. He looked disgusted and slightly embarrassed when he spoke the password. Harry held back a smirk and he got on the now-revolving staircase. Malfoy was already at the top and knocking on Dumbledore's office door.

The door opened and Malfoy entered cautiously with Harry coming in right behind him. Dumbledore sat behind his desk with his hands clasped together and resting on his chest. "Hello boys, please take a seat," Professor Dumbledore said kindly as he gestured to two chairs.

Harry sat on the edge of the chair and looked at the professor attentively while Malfoy just scowled and crossed his arms in his seat.

Dumbledore got right down the business. "I was hoping that this rivalry between you two would diminish with time, but your recent actions proved to me that I'll have to take more desperate actions. I have already discussed your punishment with Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. They have agreed to what I have proposed with much enthusiasm."

Dumbledore stopped to smile and Harry gulped worriedly. "This type of action has not taken place at Hogwarts for more then fifty years," Dumbledore said. "I have decided to put it back in use for situations like this. I'm sure that the strife between Gryffindor and Slytherin House with lessen dramatically."

Harry could not help himself and he blurted out, "What is our punishment sir?" The question sounded more then a little desperate and Professor Dumbledore chuckled.

"No house points will be taken," Dumbledore said slowly and Harry just wished that his Professor would tell him about his punishment and stop stalling.

"Both of you will be spending a lot more time together than usual--" Dumbledore started to say but Malfoy cut him of with a snarl.

"Why would I do a thing like that?" Malfoy asked in a rude voice and with a raised eyebrow. But Dumbledore just smiled. "Because, Mr. Malfoy, you do not have a choice."

Harry would usually be happy to see Malfoy gaping but he himself had his mouth slightly open in surprise.

_What does he mean?_ Harry's thought were cut off when Dumbledore started talking again.

"You see, I have already performed the spell that will keep you and Mr. Potter near each other at all times and I can't undo the spell," Dumbledore said as he unwrapped a candy.

Harry and Malfoy were both staring at Dumbledore now._ He's got to be joking!_ Harry thought with a gulp.

"I have already taken care of your sleeping arrangements," Dumbledore said. "You will go between sleeping in Gryffindor house and Slytherin. You will eat together, go to your lessons together, if you start another fight between yourselves, the invisible bond will pull you closer to each other. So I suggest that you don't fight again, it could be rather uncomfortable."

Harry blinked, still trying to understand what was happening. This was not right. _I'm supposed to get a month's worth of detentions, not get stuck with Malfoy!_

"Sir, can't you change the punishment to anything else?" Harry asked on the edge of a panic. "I'll wash toilet bowls for the rest of the year! Anything, just don't stick me with him," Harry pointed at the very still and wide-eyed Malfoy at the last word.

Dumbledore just shook his head with a hint of amusement in his eyes, "I'm sorry, Harry, I cannot undo the spell at the moment. I already told you that."

Harry groaned loudly and slumped in his seat while burying his head in his hands.

"You can't do this My father won't allow it," Malfoy said coldly as he regained his composure.

Dumbledore looked down on the blond teen sternly. "I have already informed your father of your recent actions He told me to punish you the way I saw fit."

Malfoy glared. "I can't stand Potter. What you are telling me to do is totally insane and impossible!"

Dumbledore just chuckled and Malfoy's eyes widened in anger. The blond teen stood up suddenly and headed to the office door. The professor did not make a move to stop him as he went out the door. Harry was about to say something when an invisible force yanked him from his chair.

The black haired teen yelped as he was pulled towards the retreating Malfoy. Behind him Harry heard Dumbledore laughing and he gritted his teeth.

He tried planting his feet to stop but it did not work and he was pulled within ten feet of Malfoy before the invisible rope let go of him.

Not wanting a repeat of what had just happened, Harry hurried up to catch up with Malfoy.

Harry was biting his lip and thinking over what had just happened when Malfoy spun around with his wand out.

"This is all your fault Potter," he hissed as he aimed the wand at Harry. The black-haired teen brought his wand out, but he was too slow. "Expelliarmus!" Malfoy's spell made Harry's wand fly out of his hand.

Now Malfoy stood there with two wands, looking smug but angry. "Too slow, Potter," he said with a grin and he aimed his wand at Harry's heart. "You can't bother me if your dead," he mused quietly and Harry's breathing quickened.

Surely he's not stupid enough to--Harry never got to finish that thought as a voice rang out in the corridor.

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape said sternly as he came into view just a few feet away from the teens. "Either the Headmaster did not tell you of the extent of the bond or you're stupid enough to ignore it. Which is it?" Snape asked with a raised eyebrow, Harry had never been happier to see Snape from before this. Malfoy lowered his wand reluctantly and tossed Harry's wand back to the owner with a sneer but he did not answer Snape.

"If you cast a dangerous spell on Mr. Potter, the bond will, in some cases, cause you harm," Snape said. "I suggest you don't raise you wand to Potter while the bond still exists, Mr. Malfoy."

Malfoy pocketed his wand in a swift angry motion and turned to stalk away. Harry sent Snape a grateful look. The man sneered before he turned and walked away.

Harry walked quickly to catch up with Malfoy. The teen was going in the direction he needed to go, anyway. They had Transfiguration together and they were already late for it.

If me and Malfoy are going to go to classes together, I'm going to need a new timetable, Harry thought.

They reached the door to the Transfiguration classroom and Harry almost got hit in the face when Malfoy shut the door before he could enter. The teen held back many insults as he opened the door and walked past where Malfoy was sitting. Hermione and Ron were sitting too far away for Harry to go and sit with them, so Harry sat in an unoccupied desk.

The entire class had turned around when Malfoy and Harry had entered and Professor McGonagall said, "Attention," to get them to turn back around. They did, but Harry caught Ron and Hermione shooting him worried looks before they turned around.

Harry was sure that he and Malfoy got more attention from the class than McGonagall did and he had to stop himself from glaring at somebody every few minutes.

After all, he would be curious, too, if it was someone else in his position. But sadly enough, it was not someone else in his position and Harry was starting to get irritated by all the looks he was receiving.

Just when Harry had began to ignore the looks, class ended. The students hurried out, barely listening to McGonagall explaining the homework assignment.

Hermione and Ron headed toward Harry but Malfoy was walking towards the door with his whispering friends. Deciding that he would try to fight the bond, Harry walked closer to Ron and Hermione.

Each step away from Malfoy was harder to take than the last, but Harry clenched his teeth and continued, "What happened?" Hermione asked urgently but a second later a cry sounded from outside in the hallway.

"Was that Malfoy?" Ron asked excitedly and he turned to head toward the doors to see but Harry grabbed his arm.

"Yes, it was Malfoy and--you'll never believe what Dumbledore did to me," Harry said in a rush. Hermione's eyebrows crinkled in concern and Ron frowned. "He bonded me and Malfoy so we can't get more than ten feet away from each other!"

Ron's mouth fell open in shock and Harry nodded solemnly at his friend's expression.

"He did what?" Hermione gasped and Harry moaned.

"Don't make me say it again," he said pitifully. Harry could hear loud voices just out side the door and he bet that Malfoy had just told his friends.

"Mr. Potter," Harry turned to find Professor McGonagall still in the room and holding out two timetables toward him. "These are yours and Mr. Malfoy's timetables," she said and Harry took them. "Please pass one to Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall left the room by entering her office and Harry sighed as he read the timetable.

Almost all his lessons were scheduled with Malfoy and the Slytherins. There were a few lessons where he would not even be with the Gryffindors. Harry realized that he would not get to see Ron and Hermione nearly as much now.

Hermione, reading over his shoulder, realized it too, "Oh Harry," she breathed sadly. Ron's eyes were wide, "What about when you have to go to the loo?" he asked in horror.

Harry winced at that thought and Hermione frowned fiercely at Ron.

Harry opened his mouth but a shout from outside the room made him stop, "Come on, Potter!"

The next class was one that Harry had with just the Slytherins He did not want to go but there was nothing he could do. Malfoy's shout made Ron's face heat and Harry had to place his hand on his friend's arm to stop him from marching outside to Malfoy.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Harry said gently and Ron nodded forcefully with his fists clenched. The black-haired teen waved at his friends awkwardly before taking a deep breath and leaving the room to meet with Malfoy and his friends.


	9. Chapter 9: The Rules

Malfoy was tapping his foot when Harry exited the room. The other Slytherins were a long way down the corridor; apparently they did not want to be around the Gryffindor.

Malfoy scowled at Harry as the black-haired teen got closer. "Took you long enough," he grumbled as he turned and headed for Potions. Harry did not bother replying, but sped up so that Malfoy was not ahead of him.

Harry held out one of the timetables to Malfoy without speaking. The blond glanced at it suspiciously before snatching it out of Harry's hand. _Any closer and he would have yanked my hand of my arm, _Harry mentally grumbled.

"We have History next," Harry said. "I can see that, Potter!" Malfoy snapped back and walked a bit faster. Harry fought against the urge to roll his eyes.

This is going to be a _long _day. Harry still had so many questions like, how long was this bond going to last? A few days, weeks, or a couple of months?

The teen shivered, the thought of spending an entire _month _with Malfoy was unbearable. They reached the door to the History classroom and entered to find everybody already there. Professor Binns was not there yet, so Harry knew that he was not late.

This class was with the Slytherins and all of them turned around to glare at Harry. _They always know how to make the new guy feel at home, _Harry thought sarcastically.

Harry stood there just inside the doorway feeling foolish and uncomfortable. Malfoy smirked at him before strutting over to sit with some of his friends. The Slytherins were still staring at Harry or whispering and giggling between themselves.

The Gryffindor carefully walked a few steps into the room, watching carefully for any tripping hexes that the Slytherins might shoot at him.

"What's the matter, Potty? Don't you trust us?" one thin lipped male Slytherin asked innocently and they all broke into laughter.

"No farther then I can throw you," Harry replied sweetly and the Slytherins stopped laughing to stare at him coldly.

Harry ignored them and looked for a place to sit. There was one seat unoccupied but one of the Slytherins jumped into it when she saw him looking. The rest of the students caught on quickly and within the next few seconds the Slytherins were spread out so that there was no desk left unoccupied.

Professor Binns floated through the wall and the Slytherins turned toward him, turning their backs on Harry. The professor started talking about goblin wars, not even noticing that one of his students was standing.

Harry sighed quietly and leaned against the wall. Later when he was more certain of the Slytherins and how far they would go, _then _he would be daring enough to sit with one.

He was not going to take a chance and try to sit next to one of the Slytherins now; he did not know what they would do. So for the lesson, in between glancing at the Slytherins every once in a while and changing his position, Harry took notes. He doubted that he would ever remember all the names Binns mentioned, but Hermione would be pleased to see that he tried anyway.

When the class was over Binns assigned homework to the half-asleep Slytherins as they packed up their supplies or woke up their friends.

_Even Slytherins sleep in Binns class, _Harry thought, barely able to keep his face straight.

The Slytherins left the classroom. Most of them had a glare ready to shoot at Harry. Others just ignored him. Harry preferred that to the sneers and glares.

When Malfoy was walking out the door Harry subtly followed and even managed to avoid being tripped by kicking the leg attached to a grinning Slytherin out of the way.

Harry ignored the Slytherin he had kicked and caught up with Malfoy. His friends were gathered around him and they stared coldly at Harry.

"You should know, Potter, that we're going to make your life hell for this," Blaise Zambini said with a thin smile.

"I'll remember that when Malfoy stays with me and the rest of the Gryffindors," Harry said.

He looked away from Zambini, choosing to ignore any other comments the Slytherins sent towards him. It was dinnertime and they were going to the Great Hall. Harry would get to see Hermione and Ron again. It had only been about thirty minutes since he had seen them last, but he already missed them.

Harry hung back, away from the Slytherins, until he reached the Great Hall. Then he spun up some excitement at the prospect of being with people that were not going to snarl at him.

The noisy Great Hall was a happy sight. The inhabitants turned to look at him as he entered, everyone knew of his punishment and they wanted to see what effect it had on him.

Over at the Gryffindor table his friends were watching him with worried and gloomy expressions. The Slytherin table was separated from the Gryffindor table by Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables.

The farthest away Harry could get from Malfoy was ten feet. There was no way he could sit at Gryffindor table with Ron and Hermione.

Malfoy was already moving to sit at his table with a knowing smirk on his face that angered Harry. _The git knows I can't sit with Ron and Hermione, _Harry thought while he clenched his fists in anger.

The something caught his eye and he turned his head, Luna was waving him over--and the Ravenclaw table sat right next to the Slytherin's.

Harry smiled in thanks to his friend and went to sit with Luna. As far as he knew there was no rule against sitting at another table, and there was no way he was sitting with the Slytherins. _I'm not that crazy, _Harry thought.

"Hey Harry," Terry Boot said from next to Luna. "We heard about Malfoy. Tough luck, mate," he said with a wince.

Harry nodded and sat. "I know it's horrible isn't it?" he said with feeling, and the Ravenclaws surrounding him nodded and sighed in agreement.

"Well, you can sit here anytime you want," Terry said graciously and Harry smiled at him and started fixing his plate.

"Did Dumbledore say how long the punishment will last?" a Ravenclaw asked. "Oh, I'm Pete Summers, by the way," he finished with a smile.

Harry and Pete shook hands. "Nice to meet you. No, Dumbledore did not say."

"That's sad," Luna said as she gazed at the ceiling twirling her food with her fork. Harry quickly glanced up at the ceiling to see if Luna was talking about something she saw. There was not anything there so Harry assumed she was talking about Dumbledore and he nodded before he started eating.

"Well at least now Malfoy won't be able to play Quidditch," Anthony Goldstein said with a chuckle.

Harry grinned eagerly. "I hadn't thought about that," he said before he started laughing.

"He probably hasn't thought about that either," Luna said. "The Slytherins are watching you," she finished dreamily.

Harry did not know how Luna knew that because she was not looking in their direction, but when Harry glanced around, sure enough, the Slytherins were watching him.

"They're wondering why I'm laughing and not sobbing," he said dryly and Terry laughed.

Some of the other Ravenclaws were talking to each other, but they stopped to turn to Harry. "You can ask Ron and Hermione if they want to eat here. We won't mind," a girl with a mole on her cheek said to him.

"Really?" Harry asked surprised when they nodded and smiling the black-haired teen looked over at Gryffindor table.

Hermione and Ron were watching him when he looked up and smiled at them. They both looked surprised but smiled back anyway. Harry waved at them, telling them to come over. A minute later, Ron and Hermione were both making their way over with their food.

"Hey," Ron said and he collapsed down in the seat next to Harry comfortably. Hermione came up right behind him and Luna scooted over so that she could sit down.

"Thanks for letting us sit here with Harry," Hermione said appreciatively to the surrounding Ravenclaws.

Ron laughed through a mouth full of food before swallowing. "You should of seen Malfoy's face when we started coming over here. He didn't look too happy." Ron sang the last part gleefully.

Harry and Terry laughed while Hermione smirked at her plate. Ron suddenly snapped his finger.

"I almost forgot. We passed Dumbledore on our way here Harry," the redhead said.

Harry leaned forward curiously. "What did he say?"

Hermione cut in before Ron could say anything. "He wants you and Malfoy to come to his office after dinner," she said excitedly. "I can't believe we almost forgot to tell you!"

Harry was not listening anymore. _What does Dumbledore want with me now? _he wondered anxiously.

Dinner seemed to pass after that and Harry did not talk much for the rest of the meal. When he could not wait any longer, Harry stood up after bidding Ron and Hermione goodnight. His friends smiled at him. "Be careful around them Harry," Hermione said quietly and Harry nodded as he took in her advise.

Harry made his way over the Slythering table. Malfoy smirked when he saw him. "Well look, everyone, it's scarhead! He finally plucked up enough Gryffindor bravery to face us."

The Slytherins burst into laughter and Harry watched them with an uncaring expression._ So you want to play hardball, eh? _He thought as a plan unfolded in his mind.

"Dumbledore wants to see us, ferret-face," he said with an evil grin and before Malfoy could respond Harry turned and strode away. A few people were watching, some not even being subtle about it.

Malfoy did not have time to stand before Harry walked over the ten feet limit. Malfoy lunged forward and his eyes widened comically before he was dragged off his seat to land hard on the floor.

"P-potter stop!" Malfoy yelled hysterically as he was dragged on his rear towards the Great Hall doors. The inhabitants of the Great Hall screamed with laughter as they watched the Slythering Prince trying to stand up only to fall back down again.

Even the Professors were enjoying the show. McGonagall was laughing into her napkin and Flitwick had fallen of his seat in his excitement.

And although he would deny it later, more then one student swore that Professor Snape smiled. Only Umbridge was not smiling. Instead, she was gaping at the scene. She had _no idea _what was happening, unlike the rest of the Great Hall.

Harry smiled broadly at the Great Hall doors before he turned to bow in a grand sweeping motion. Most of the room clapped and whistled as Malfoy stood up dizzily right before Harry turned once again and left the room.

Malfoy was not taking any chances, and he ran after Harry with a red face and rumpled hair.

"What the hell was that, Potter!" Malfoy yelled at Harry as he caught up to him. Harry took one look at the disheveled blond and he started laughing.

Malfoy's nostrils flared angrily and his hands curled into fists as Harry laughed at him. Harry stumbled a few steps and had to lean against the wall to keep himself standing. "Yo-your face!" he exclaimed amidst laughter and Malfoy snarled at him before stalking off towards Dumbledore's office.

Harry wiped away the tears from his eyes with a smile on his face and he followed Malfoy jovially. "You gotta admit it was hilarious, Malfoy," Harry said.

"I'll do no such thing," the blond said forcefully and he stared straight ahead with his head held high.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You're no fun," he grumbled almost to himself and Malfoy glanced at him incredulously before blinking fast and looking away.

They reached the Headmaster's office without speaking another word. Harry was surprised that Malfoy had not threatened him, but he did not speak his mind.

Harry had just realized that he did not know the password, but Malfoy did know it and he spoke it quickly. They climbed onto the staircase and rode it up to the office door without speaking.

Harry knocked on the door and waited for the soft 'enter' before he opened the door. Inside the room stood Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall beside a sitting Dumbledore.

"Come in Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said with a smile as he gestured to the same seats they had sat in earlier that day.

Warily Harry entered, wondering what the headmaster was going to tell him. His day surely could not get any worse.

After Malfoy had sat down Dumbledore started talking. "Now, I meant to explain the bond to you both in more detail earlier." Here he smiled in good humor at Malfoy. The blond scowled back. "But since that did not work out well I'm going to explain it now."

"Because you can not get far from each other without the bond reacting, I'm afraid there is no possible way Mr. Malfoy can play Quidditch--" Dumbledore started before Malfor interrupted him.

"What!" the Slytherin exclaimed as he sat forward in his seat with wide eyes. "You can't do that to me," he hissed.

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape drawled warningly and to Harry's slight surprise Malfoy shut up and leaned back in his seat with a frown.

Dumbledore continued. "You will switch back and forth between houses. Tonight you will sleep in the Slytherin dormitories and tomorrow you will sleep in the Gryffindor dormitories."

Harry bit his lip at the thought of being stuck in a dormitory with Slytherins. He would never get to sleep.

"Vita vinculum is the name of the bonding spell and it translates to life bond in our English language. It does not mean that the bond lasts your entire life but that your life is in each others hands." Dumbledore said and Harry listened earnestly.

"If one of you were to die while under the bond; depending on the circumstances the other person may be hurt as well depending on how the bond judges that person. If the cause of the death was murder by the other person in the bond…that person would die as well."

"A long time ago when the Vita vinculum was first invented two men were placed under the bond. They hated each other so much that one murdered the other even though he knew the cost would be his own death," the professor sighed lightly.

"I'm sure that your dislike towards each other is not that strong?" Dumbledore asked and Harry shook his head but glanced at Malfoy top make sure he was doing the same, he was.

"Good. The bond also applies to secrecy, for example if Harry were to find out a secret about Draco he would not be able to tell anyone the secret unless Draco allowed it. This works in the same way for Harry; the secret law applies to both big and small secrets, it cannot be broken until the bond is broken. The bond can only be broken by the caster or if you both die, which I don't think will happen until many, many years after this bond is taken off," he finished with a smile.

Harry could see the wheels in Malfoy's head turning already, _Probably wondering if he could write my secrets down and show them instead, _Harry thought.

"Now, I expect you to comport yourselves like proper young wizards, as you have not been in all of your previous entanglement," The professor said as he looked into both Harry's and Malfoy's eyes. "I don't want to hear any complaints from your teachers. This punishment is supposed to teach both of you a lesson and I expect both of you to accept it with a mature attitude."

After a pause Harry spoke. "Yes sir," he said solemnly and Malfoy nodded reluctantly.

Dumbledore smiled. "Good. Professor Snape will escort you to your dorm, boys. Good night."

Harry got up. "Night Professor," he said and headed to the door with Malfoy a few steps behind.

Snape intercepted Harry and moved in front of him so that he would walk out first. Harry was glad that the professor could not see him roll his eyes. Malfoy and Snape led the way to the dungeons while Harry hung in the back.

The last thing he wanted to do was enter the Slytherins territory. He would have no one to trust down there in the dungeons.

Harry took a deep breath and hoped he would make it to see tomorrow before entering the dungeons behind Snape and Malfoy.


	10. Chapter 10: With The Snakes

The entrance door to the dungeon shut behind Harry with a spooky creaking that did nothing to settle the teen's mind. Being in the dungeons at night was like going through a fun house without the fun. You never knew what to expect, and it left Harry feeling extremely apprehensive.

Harry did not realize that he had been dragging along the corridor until Snape mentioned it in the delightful way he has. "Hurry up, Potter!" the professor snapped, glancing at Harry with a sneer and a shake of his greasy head.

Harry bit his lip and ran to catch up with the two irritable Slytherins. The labyrinthine passages were deserted and their steps echoed eerily off the drab stone walls. Harry could only faintly remember the way to the Slytherin common room from his escapade in second year with Ron. But when Malfoy turned into a unfamiliar corridor, Harry was sure that the common room was still a ways down the corridor.

"Isn't the entrance back there somewhere?" he asked without thinking. Malfoy stopped in surprise and turned slowly to stare at Harry with a calculating expression.

_Crap, _Harry thought, and he gazed at the two Slytherins innocently as possible.

Snape watched him without expression before turning to walk pass the still-staring Malfoy. Harry walked after him and Malfoy followed, shooting him a suspicious glance as he caught up. There was a painting of a tall, intelligent-looking man that opened when Snape waved his wand over it. The man was wearing a coat of arms on his sage green robes; they were intertwined snakes forming the letter S. Harry realized with a jolt that the man in the portrait was Salazar Slytherin himself.

Harry had never seen a picture of the man before and he could not help thinking that he did not look like he expected. He expected the Slytherin founder to be like Malfoy Senior, if not by looks then by attitude. The mans painting took Harry by surprise; Salazar looked regal, but almost sad as he stared out a window from his library with a book in hand. He had bronze hair and clear blue eyes, and his library was dark and gloomy. The picture seemed so real and stunned him so much that at first, Harry did not even notice that it was still.

"Potter!"

Snape's annoyed tone drew Harry from his thoughts. With a final glance, he followed the professor into the hallway behind the portrait. It was twisty, dark, and barely lit by the professor's wand as he led the way around sharp corners. They turned a corner and Malfoy pulled open a door half-hidden in the darkness. The door opened up to a hall that Harry _did _recognized. The damp dark walls were the same ones that hid the Slytherin entrance, they had just taken the long way around to it.

_Paranoid Slytherins, _Harry thought as Snape spoke the password quietly and the wall slid open to reveal the common room.

Though the room was now full of students, it was almost exactly like Harry remembered it. The room had a low ceiling with green lights hanging from chains, a marble fireplace and rough stone walls. Slytherins of all ages stood around talking, doing homework, or playing chess. It was almost like looking into the Gryffindor common room without the red and gold. The faces were not as cheery, either…but that was probably because they had caught sight of Harry. They stared at him with ranging expression, from cold glares sent by the older students to the curious ones of the younger students.

Harry fought the urge to hide behind his professor's cloak. Instead he stood and looked around the room, making a point to occasionally make eye contact, especially with the older, more dangerous students. He was taken back when some looked away. Whether it was from intimidation or shyness, Harry did not know.

Snape seemed to draw the attention of the entire house; they did not need to be told to quiet down. Unlike the rest of the school, the Slytherins seemed to look at Snape with respect instead of fear or hatred.

Professor Snape came to stand in the Slytherins view with Draco passing him to go over to his friends. Harry did not know what to do, so he just stood slightly behind Snape and waited.

"Thanks to Mr. Malfoy's and Potter's foolishness, Slytherin house will be hosting Potter every other night for an undetermined period. Mr. Malfoy will be doing the same at the Gryffindor house," Snape said with undisguised dislike at the idea.

The Slytherins at once began talking between themselves while shooting looks at Harry.

"Potter will stay in the fifth year boy's dormitory with Mr. Malfoy," Snape added silkily as he turned to leave. His coal black eyes met Harry's and Snape smirked at him with malevolence. "Don't kill him," he said to his students right before the entrance slid closed behind him.

With the knowledge that he was alone, Harry turned to face his new housemates. Their faces were not reassuring to him but he walked forward anyway. He was a Gryffindor, and besides, it was not his fault he was here in the first place. Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall had made the decision to throw him to the snakes. Harry prepared himself mentally and physically before asking, "Which way's my dormitory?" His tone was polite his face straight and unconcerned but his hand was itching to hold his wand. The piece of wood gave him reassurance that most people never could.

The Slytherins reacted to his question but, it was not what Harry had hoped for. "What do you mean _your _dormitory?" a pout-faced boy sneered at him.

"You're the one intruding on our territory, Potter," Malfoy said easily, looking pleased as he picked at his nails. Harry clenched his teeth, _Don't kill him, _he told himself as he tried to find a response.

"I know that, Malfoy, and I certainly didn't ask to be here," Harry said carefully as he shifted his stance.

Malfoy sniffed and stood up to casually walk to a doorway and Harry fought back the urge to roll his eyes. Harry followed Malfoy on the uncarpeted stone through the small path the Slytherins made.

They were still looking at him like they found him utterly repulsive. He made his way through them, being careful not to hit anyone while still staying close enough to Malfoy so that the bond did not react.

There was a draft in the hallway that the doorway turned into. It sent chills up Harry's arms and caused goose bumps to rise on his clothed arms.

The hallway was dimly lit by small lamps and lined with dark wooden doors every few feet. It was hard to see with the sparse lighting. "Is it always this dark in here?" he asked.

Malfoy sighed and Harry knew that there was a sneer on his face without seeing it.

Harry was not sure what Malfoy did next but the lights got much brighter and lit the hall, chasing away shadows with its appearance.

The sound of footsteps made Harry glance behind him to see a few teens his age following him. Harry recognized Crabbe, Goyle, and another person he had seen hanging around Malfoy, but he did not know his name.

Malfoy opened a door near the end of the hall and entered without looking around. Harry's first impression of the room was how different it was from his dormitory in Gryffindor tower. There were five beds but the room seemed larger and was much cleaner than Harry's, which that added to the size of the room. The colors were, of course, mainly green but Harry noticed there were different shades throughout the house. The hallway had been painted in a light green that was almost white and this room was sage.

The rest of the room, though, was different from what Harry had expected. On one wall a poster of a Quidditch team hung with a few other posters clustered around it. There were a few books lying around but all the beds were made, it was immaculate. Harry hated it already. He could tell which bed was his by his scratched up trunk that was haphazardly lying crooked at the end of an unmade bed. The bed was smaller, Harry noticed, as he walked over to it.

"Hope you don't wet the bed Potter," Malfoy said as he watched his new roommate study the place.

"I'll leave that to you, Malfoy," Harry muttered as he sat on the bed and took of his cloak off. There were six Slytherins in the room and Harry ignored all of them as he tossed his cloak onto a small bedside table and started to make his bed.

"There's a spell for that you know," Goyle said as he came closer to Harry.

Harry did know, although it did not matter to him, and he nodded at Goyle without pausing. After quickly setting his bed in order, Harry turned away from it with a satisfied expression to check out his chest.

Malfoy, Zabini and the others were scrutinizing him from different spots around the room. The bed with the posters seemed to belong to Goyle who was sitting on his bed staring into space.

"What are you _wearing_," Malfoy said and his eyes narrowed as he studied Harry's attire. Harry looked down with a frown, his shirt was a bit worn--a lot worn, actually--and his jeans had hole in the knee.

"I'll have you know that these are authentic tattered garments," Harry said with a proud air and a sniff that matched Malfoys from earlier. "They came all the way from the gutters of Venice."

Malfoy watched him without blinking and Harry knew that his light-heartedness was lost on him. But a low chuckle made Harry glance around. To his surprise, Nott was leaning in the doorway with half a grin on his face.

"So the Muggles treat you like crap _and _dress you like it, too," he said. Harry's hands quivered on their own accord, but none of the Slytherins noticed as they waited for a reaction.

"They're not that bad," Harry mumbled as he looked around the room for something to destarct him._ Why am I defending the Dursleys? _he wondered in helpless confusion. They certainly did not deserve his protection, so why was he giving it? _Do unto others as you would have them do unto you_, Harry thought. But he was not fooling himself. The Dursleys would never defend him and he knew it.

Harry did not have anymore time to study his mental state as Zabini spoke. "You're more of an idiot then I thought you were, Potter," he said, "and that's saying a lot."

"Gee thanks," Harry said with a shake of his head as he kneeled to check out his trunk. _Slytherins are so nice, _he thought dryly as they spread out around the room going to there different beds. Of course, their treatment was not as bad as Harry had first expected, but he did not want to speak too soon. There would still be plenty of time for the Slytherins to prove how horrible they were and Harry had no doubt that they would. But he had no idea when or how they would prove it; he would have to stay on his toes.

He wanted to check his trunk out for curses and to see if anyone had tried to open it. _I hope they haven't already found the Marauder's Map or worse--my Invisibility cloak, _Harry thought worridly.

Most of the time he kept his trunk locked and luckily, it was locked when it was moved to his new dormitory. Harry performed a scanning spell on the wooden box and let out a contented sigh when he discovered that it had been left alone.

He opened it and was pleased to see his Invisibility Cloak, Marauder's Map, and the book from his future self lying on top. Harry thought momentairily about movig them to the bottom but stopped himself. _The Slytherins are probably watching me and if I leave the important stuff on top it will make it look unimportant. If _Harry did not want any of his items stolen from him he would have to think like a Slytherin.

_I'll put some better protectioon and privacy spells on it soon,_ Harry thought. He only knew a few but if the Slytherins were determined enough they could easily get in and invade his private things. Harry was not going to take that chance The next time he saw Hermione he could ask her about some better spells. He could count on Hermione to know some good ones. Maybe even one that could turn the culprit green, or on second thought, red and gold.

Harry smiled at his truck as he performed the few security spells he knew. If anyone tried anything funny, they would be very, _very, _sorry.

Harry stood to see Malfoy watching him over the top of a history text as he sat on his bed. "What?" Harry asked rudely.

"You're _so_ eloquent Potter," Malfoy drawled and went back to his textbook.

Zabini picked up a stack of cards from his bedside table, but he answered Harry's question instead of ignoring it. "If you _really _have something of value in your trunk it would have been smarter to perform the protection spells when others weren't there to see your wand movements," he said in a dry tone.

"It wouldn't matter if I was still in Gryffindor Tower with people who don't want to steal from me now would it?" Harry growled at Zabini and the git smirked at him. Harry's eyes widened at Zabini's nerve and he turned away from him with a small huff.

_What am I supposed to do now? If I was in Gryffindor Tower I would play chess or cards with Ron but I can't do that here…but sadly_,_ I can still do homework_, Harry thought.

He undid all the locks and spells on his trunk, took out the books he needed and then locked it back. Harry had also brought out his Occlumency texts so he could practice. Even though there were a lot of things happening, he knew that Snape would not have mercy on him. _But will I still have Occlumency lessons? _Harry wondered as he sat on his bed with all his books.

_Well, even if I don't_,_ it's still a good idea to study and practice. Maybe I can learn without Snape's help. Imagine his surprise at that! _

The thought of seeing Professor Snape astounded was enough to fuel Harry for a long study session. He climbed onto his bed and sat crossed-legged, pulling the and pulled the curtains around his bed and blocking the Slytherins from sight. Harry also cast a silence spell so that he would not have to hear their chatter. Crabbe's and Goyle's deep-toned whispers was not helping Harry to study.

The quiet _Silencio _Harry muttered left him feeling happily alone, with the only sound being his own breath. He opened his Occlumency text first. _It's more important then how many trolls Grumpy the Great killed and ate at the moment, _Harry thought humorously.

Harry understood the text and it was getting easier to practice the techniques the books mentioned without feeling silly. No one could see him except himself, and this was a serious mater. _Actually it's a Sirius matter, _Harry thought without humor.

About an hour later, Harry had read five chapters of one Occlumency books, finished his homework and was reading the other Occlumency text. Unexpectedly, the curtains were yanked away from the bed and Malfoy stood there, looking annoyed.

He opened his mouth and spoke but Harry could not hear anything he was saying. Harry was tempted to just ignore the stuck up git but he reluctantly raised his wand and removed the spell. Malfoy stopped talking and glared at Harry. "You had a silence spell up?" he asked angrily.

"Yes," Harry said and he heard some of the others in the room muffle their laughter. "What were you trying to tell me, Malfoy?"

"I was _saying_ that it's time to turn out the lights because I'm going to bed and I will not sleep without the lights off," he said in an exasperated tone.

Harry nodded as he casually hid the title of his book putting it in his lap and crossing his arms over it. "Won't or can't?" Harry asked.

"_Won't,_" Malfoy snarled and he blinked angrily.

Harry sat up in time to see Nott's lips twich as he pulled on his nightshirt. Even Malfoy'as own housemates liked to see him get irritated. Harry could not wait to tell Ron and Hermione. They would get a kick out of it for sure.

Harry was surprised that Nott had almost smiled, but not only because it was at Malfoy's expense. He had never seen the Slytherin make any response to something he did. Maybe the Slytherins were more human than they seemed…Harry could hope.

"Fine, I'll go to bed in a second," Harry said with only a slight grumble and Malfoy smirked from his bedside. Harry shook his head and fetched his pajamas from his trunk to change. Stripping off his shirt, he put on the nightshirt and jumped onto the bed.

Crabbe flicked his wand to turn the lights off. Harry pulled the curtains around his bed once more and turned back the duvet to climb under the covers. He wondered if he should put a protection spell around his bed after all. He still did not trust the Slytherins, but he decided not to and put another silecing spell up instead. The last thing he needed to do is wake the Slytherins up if he started sceaming from one of his visions. They would never let him forget it and the entire school would know about it within the hour.

Harry settled down in the covers and crossed his arm over his chest. He was going to try to clear his mind before going to bed. It did not take to long once he figured out how to get rid of his nerves. There were a lot of nerves after the last few days he had had.

The news that Voldemort was going to attack Hogwarts, the bond with Malfoy, sufficiently clearing his mind well enough to sleep without nightmares…most of what had happened was very stressful but finally Harry calmed his nerves and could barely keep his eyes open. He was stuck between sleep and consciousness. There was a haze that seemed to hover around his slow thoughts and he fell asleep.

………………………………...

Unlike in Gryffindor Tower, there were no windows in the dungeons so there was no sun in Harry's eyes when he woke up the next morning. It was a sad change made even sadder by the fact that Harry could hear Slytherins chuckling. _That can't be good, _Harry thought as he lazily raised his hand to wipe his eyes.

The sounds of light laughter stopped abruptly, making Harry pause before sitting up. Something was going on and he was going to find out what. It took a few minutes for Harry's eyes to adjust to the room after he slipped on his glasses.

Malfoy, Zabini, Crabbe and Nott were already dressed and their beds were made, but Goyle was trying to straighten his green tie. There expressions were normal and they showed no reaction to seeing Harry sit up.

But Harry knew something was up. Goyle was not that good at masking his expression and there was a hint of a smile on his face. Harry got out of bed and stretched. "What time is it?" he asked with a yawn that he could not surpress.

Crabbe told him in a grunty voice and Harry was surprised. He still had time to take a shower if he wanted to. "Why are you already getting dressed?"

"Why are you _not_?" Malfoy said with a sneer and he walked over to his bed with a roll of his eyes. Harry got up and got dressed. He was having trouble with his tie and wishing it was a clip on when Zabini said, "You could do that better if you used a mirror."

For some reason that made Nott cough loudly into his hand, but Harry thought it sounded suspiciously like a laugh. "Don't forget to brush your teeth in the bathroom," Crabbe said with a grin. "Where else would I do it at?" Harry asked in slight exsasperation.

The Slytherins laughed as one and moved out of the room quickly leaving Harry and Malfoy behind. Harry shook his head as he got his toothbrush and toothpaste from the trunk to head of to the bathroom with Malfoy trailing behind.

The bathroom connected to the other dormitory and there were three Slytherins in the bathroom when Harry entered. He was already putting toothpaste on his toothbrush so he could get out as soon as possible. Harry never noticed the incredulous and humorous expressions on the Slytherins' faces or the smirk that Malfoy gave them.

They were still in the bathroom when Harry reached the mirror and looked up at his face. Harry's eyes widened first before his mouth dropped slightly in horror and disbelief as he stared.

His hair had a huge streak of bright pink running straight down the middle.

The toothbrush dropped out of his limp hand as he stared at his new hairdo. _What happened!_ Harry though as his mind finally came out of the haze it had wandered into.

"Merlin," he breathed and the Slytherins could not stand it anymore. They burst into laughter and cackles of glee. Harry glanced at them and snapped his mouth closed. Malfoy was leaning against the wall and laughing at the poor Gryffindor.

_I look like a skunk with style, _Harry thought as he glanced back at the mirror with a grimace. "When did you do this, Malfoy?" he asked.

"W-while you were sleeping," Malfoy said wiping his eyes with a monogrammed handkerchief.

"Wonderful," Harry muttered with a sigh but even now he thought that the situation was kind of funny. _Malfoy and other Slytherins wanted to embarrass me and make me act like an idiot. But I won't give them the satisfaction, _Harry thought. It was rather funny and Harry was lucky they had not dyed all his hair pink. Suddenly Harry had an idea that came to him. _I wonder if I can find that spell again, _he wondered.

The Gryffindor left the Slytherins and left the bathroom to head back to his trunk, dragging Malfoy behind him.

Harry ignored the Slytherin, opened the trunk and found the book. After a few minutes of searching he found the page he needed.

_I'll show them how to be a good sport, _Harry thought with a grin.

………………………………...

Harry and Malfoy were headed down to the Great Hall a few minutes later. Malfoy was not aware of Harry's little ploy. The Gryffindor had been able to do what he needed to do without the Slytherin being aware of it. So the curious and frustrated glances that Malfoy sent Harry's way because of the Gryffindor's small smirk were very satisfying.

Harry had not even reached the Great Hall, yet and he was already feeling better about his hairdo. It got the attention of a lot of students but Harry just smiled politely at them as they gaped and in some cases snickered.

"Where'd you get the makeover Potter?" said an unfamiliar person with the Ravenclaw crest on his robes. Harry glanced at Malfoy who was walking behind him with a smirk on his face.

_He probably wants to sit back and watch as the snorts of laughter and the jeers get thrown at me_, Harry thought.

He had just reached the Great Hall doors. They were firmly shut and the sounds of talking could be heard from outside. "Better go look for that so called Gryffindor bravery Potter," Malfoy said with a laugh from right behind him.

Harry gave him a smug smirk and with a flourish removed his robes to hang them over his shoulder. Underneath he wore regular Muggle garb, a pair of jeans that fit fairly well and a t-shirt. But this t-shirt was light pink with long black sleeves. Written on the front of the shirt in bold, black letters were the words "Tough Guys Wear Pink."

Malfoy's expression was one Harry would remember. The Slytherin was astounded and speechless. Harry snickered and turned away from him to throw open the doors of the Great Hall and stride confidently to the Gryffindor table.

There was a surprised silence on most parts of the room, but others were already laughing or snickering. Harry could see that Ron's mouth was open with his fork hanging in the air and Hermione looked taken aback by the change.

Today it was the Gryffindor dragging Malfoy over to the table and unlike with Harry, Malfoy had no friends in Hufflepuff to sit with. They reached the table and Harry sat down with his friends.

"Is that some kind of fashion statement?" George called with a laugh from down the table and Harry grinned at him but did not speak. Malfoy was hanging around the table trying to look bored and at ease but failing. Harry moved over.

"You can sit here," he said to Malfoy. To Ron, who was looking at him incredulously, he said, "The one who keeps his temper and plays the better sport always turns out on top Ron." Hermione beamed at him.

Malfoy sat down beside him and Harry handed him a plate while chewing his food. Most of the Gryffindors were glaring at Malfoy. _My how the tables have turned, _Harry thought.

"What _did_ happen to you hair?" Hermione asked quietly and the others leaned in.

"It was a welcoming present," Harry said with a roll of his eyes.

The glares got a little bit icier and Malfoy squirmed a little as he tried to eat. Harry might have felt sorry for him, but years of sneers, stinging comments, and jeers came back to him and he ignored the Slytherin.

"I like how you reacted," Hermione said with a meaningful glance at Harry's shirt.

"Thanks," Harry replied. "I got the spell from one of those books you bought me."

Ron mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'kiss up' but Harry knew that the redhead was only joking. "We have Potions first this morning," Hermione said and Harry nodded as he chewed.

"Yeah, this will be one of those few lessons where I'll stay with you guys," he said happily while Malfoy sulked. Ron smirked at Malfoy from across the table and Hermione ignored the look and got up.

"I'm going to head for Potions," she said. "You coming Harry?" Hermione asked. There was something about the way she was watching him that made Harry get up.

"I'm coming," he said. Ron told them that he'd be there soon while Malfoy grumbled about how he was not done eating.

Malfoy walked in front of Harry and Hermione with an unhappy expression on his face. Harry started walking faster to catch up with Malfoy but Hermione held him back. "What are we going to do about the DA, Harry!" she whispered to him worriedly.

Harry had already come to a conclusion for that. "The DA is still on, I just won't be the leader anymore," he said.

Hermione frowned. "You need to practice, as well. What if something happens and you need to protect yourself--"

Harry cut her off. "I'll take care of myself and you take care of the DA for me, all right?"

His friend bit her lip but nodded and Harry sighed. "Thanks Hermione," he said softly and she smiled understandingly.


	11. Chapter 11:Occlumency and Pranks

The Potions classroom was empty except for Snape, who sat at his desk in front of the class, looking grim as always.

_Well, maybe not always, _Harry thought. _Snape seems pretty happy when he's taking points_,_ but then no one else is happy. _Malfoy was taking a seat near the front, a place which Harry tried to avoid. When you were in the front you got picked to answer questions and the questions Snape asked were ones Harry usually did not know.

Hopefully no questions would be shot Harry's way during potions.

Hermione was taking a seat near the back when Snape looked up with an uninterested expression. "Early, Potter? Mr. Malfoy is keeping you on schedule, then."

Harry smiled at the professor who immediately looked sour. "Actually _I _was one who was dragging Malfoy out of the Great Hall, but thanks for the compliment," Harry said.

Snape glared but apparently could not think of anything to say because he turned back to his papers.

Harry took a seat next to Malfoy and the was surprised to see the teen's shoulders shaking lightly.

"Liked that, did you?" Harry said in a whisper as he sat. Malfoy shot him a dry look.

"I'm more impressed at how Snape did not bite your head off," he whispered back. "It was quite an act of self-control on his part," Malfoy said with a smirk.

"I can hear you," Snape said as he flipped back through the papers. Harry was surprised at the man's tone, he did not sound menacing but almost humorous.

"Did you just discover that?" Malfoy asked cheekily and Harry almost gaped.

_Does he want to die? _he wondered with wide eyes.

Snape looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Watch it Mr. Malfoy." He seemed to be joking with Malfoy more than warning him and Malfoy glanced at Harry. His smirk grew until he looked like the Cheshire cat.

Harry knew that Malfoy was pleased at Harry's surprised response to the friendly conversation between the two Slytherins.

With much effort Harry turned his expression into one that was not so astonished.

But Malfoy had already seen his dumbstruck look and was fully prepared to rub it in. Luckily for Harry, Malfoy seemed to decide that he wanted to wait until later to go over Harry's flaws in the art of keeping a straight face.

That was good for the Gryffindor. He really did not want to talk to Malfoy where his professor could hear it. It was bad enough he was stuck in the situation where he _had _to talk to a Malfoy. Harry did not want the greasy git to listen to everything he said as well.

Students started filing in making as little noise as possible to try and keep their professors attention away from them. Harry could not blame them, he knew what it was like to be under Snape's stare and he did not envy the poor soul who got stuck with it.

During the lesson various Gryffindors got scolded and glared at but Harry was not one of them. Because he was making a potion with Malfoy, Snape could not criticize the potion without criticizing Malfoy as well. No Slytherins tried to sabotage the potion and at the end of the lesson Harry was confident that he had done well. Malfoy had helped with the potion and for once they had not argued over who did what--okay, maybe just a little bit, but not much.

The potion was fairly simple and most everyone made it correctly, with the exception of Golye and Neville. The two had been matched together by Snape, who had a nasty little smile on his face at the time.

While Harry was packing up his equipment Ron passed and dropped a note shrewdly right next to his friend.

Trying to be subtle, Harry dropped his quill and when he reached down for it he picked up the note as well. Slipping the note in his bag along with the quill, Harry looked around. He turned his head just in time to see a Slytherin with bushy eyebrows look away. Harry frowned. Had the Slytherin seen Ron dropping the note?

The teen bit his lip. _Is it important enough for me to be worried? _Harry wondered.

The dungeon classroom was almost empty and Malfoy was patiently waiting for him a few feet away.

Harry swung his bag over his should and headed toward Malfoy but Snape's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't forget, Mr. Potter, Remedial Potions is at eight," the professor said warningly.

Harry stopped in his tracks and turned slowly to look at Snape. The man looked at him and raised an eyebrow in question. "I won't forget, sir," Harry said but his mind was buzzing with questions.

"That's not fair!" Malfoy burst out from behind Harry. "Just because Potter stinks at Potions does not mean I should have to sit through _his _remedial lessons!"

Snape smirked at the young Slytherin, "Mr. Malfoy, you should of thought of that before you got in trouble."

Malfoy was starting to turn pink and Harry might have laughed if the situation had not been so serious. Harry turned to walk out of the classroom and Malfoy almost stomped his way out behind him. _Malfoy can't find out about Occlumency, what is Snape thinking? _Harry thought.

Malfoy _could _find out about what Harry really did during his so called 'remedial potions' because he would not be able to tell, anyway. The bond took care of that, but Harry still would of felt safer if Malfoy did not know about anything he did. That was why he had passed down his command of the DA to Hermione.

While Malfoy would not have been able to tell about their meetings, Harry still felt better knowing that the blond was oblivious.

_Maybe Snape will send Malfoy to another room while we do Occlumency? _

Harry knew he was drawing blanks and that all his ideas weren't worth thinking about. He was worried though. All his practice would be for nothing if Malfoy ruined his lessons by telling when the bond stopped working.

Harry had no doubt that Malfoy would tell his father and Malfoy Senior was sure to tell his master. Then Snape's position as spy would be compromised. Harry groaned softly.

He wished Snape would have some how told him what he was planning on doing before he did it. The man was _so _weird.

How was Harry supposed to know what he was thinking? Harry did not like not knowing what to expect. He felt lost now and Harry blamed in all on the Potions master.

"Potter?" Malfoy's voice made Harry turn. The Gryffindor had passed the Transfiguration hallway about ten feet ago. Malfoy looked at Harry like he was an idiot and he blushed slightly.

_Get a hold of yourself or Malfoy will know something is up, _Harry told himself sternly.

This class was with the Ravenclaws and Harry was curious to see how the Slytherins treated them.

A few girls burst into giggles at the sight of Harry's hair but quieted when McGonagall shot a look their way. "We were still learning about Animagi in the last lesson. I do hope everyone did the reading I assigned?"

Harry had skimmed through it and he did not join in with the chorus of "Yes Professor," that all the other students said. Malfoy was the only one who noticed and he shot a look at Harry that sang, 'you're in trouble'.

Harry agreed with Malfoy, but he was not going to say it out loud and he shot a glare at the teen before turning away. "Now, in the past, Animagi have been rare because of the time, effort, and will it takes to become one," McGonagall said as she stood in front of the class with her hands clasped neatly.

"There is a fairly new potion and spell combo that was invented to encourage young witches and wizards to become animagi. In conjunction, these will show you what kind of animal you will be. Today we will try this out--" McGonagall was cut off as the students started talking to each other delightedly.

"I bet I'm a tiger!" "A squirrel is more likely." "I'm going to be a unicorn, just wait and see!"

McGonagall sighed and Harry grinned at her. What had she expected? It was exciting and fun, something classes normally were not.

"May I remind you all that magical animals _cannot _be your form," the professor said sternly.

_Oh well, it would have been cool to be a Phoenix or something, _Harry thought with only slight disappointment.

"We have a limited amount of time, so I have written all your names on pieces of paper and put them in this," McGonagall drew a wizards hat out from behind her.

"I will draw out five names and then we will go over why that person has that form."

The class waited excitedly while whispering to each other as the professor drew out a name after stirring the pieces of paper gently. "Seymor Trent," read McGonagall and the Slytherin grinned and came forward.

"Francine Green." The girl from Ravenclaw went shyly to stand next to the Slytherin at the front of the class.

"Harry Potter." The short span of silence that McGonagall had enforced broke when she read Harry's name.

Harry frowned as he stood up to walk past his classmates. He did not want to be one of the people doing this. While he was curious about his form, the excitement was slightly dimmed at the prospect that everyone else would see as well.

_What if it's something incredibly stupid? _Harry worried silently. McGonagall read the last two names and Harry did not recognize the two Slytherins that were called. How bad could his Animagus form be? Could Harry possibly not have a form?

The Slytherin went first and swallowed the potion McGonagall handed him eagerly. Next the professor waved her wand in a few simple movements and muttered the spell under her breath. Harry was slightly surprise; McGonagall did not usually speak her spells. Maybe this spell was more difficult to perform, though.

A screen almost like the one Harry had seen a couple of times in movie theatres appeared. It was much smaller than those huge screens in the theatre, though. Stretching about the length of someone's arms, it was long enough for the entire class to see.

The scene of a puppy playing in a garden came up and most of the girls from both houses broke into 'aaws' and exclamations. They watched the spotted puppy play for another moment then the screen went blank.

"You may sit back down Mr. Trent," McGonagall said and the blushing teen went back to sit. He seemed torn between embarrassment over his form and happiness that it was not something worse.

"Can anyone tell me why Mr. Trents form was a puppy instead of a full-grown dog?"

Harry had an idea but he kept quiet. No one offered an answer so McGonagall began to tell them why.

"Your Animagus form reflects on your personality. I would say that Mr. Trent is loyal but immature," McGonagall said with a rare smile toward the Slytherin. "If a form looks young then usually the person who owns the form is not fully developed in their personality."

Harry could see Trent frowning and the class was snickering at him.

"Your form should be developed fully in a few months or within the next year or so," McGonagall said reassuringly.

Next came Francine's form, which turned out to be a humming bird. McGonagall went on to explain that Francine was probably shy and quiet. Seeing what her Animagus form was and just by looking at the girl now, Harry agreed.

He was next and Harry was still worried. _What if it's a worm?_ He thought in horror. _But my form should be like my personality. Surely I'm not a worm!_

Now McGonagall was waiting for him to take the potion. Harry took the small bottle with gentle fingers and upturned the contents into his mouth. It was not that bad, slightly bitter with a grassy taste but no where near as bad as some other potions.

McGonagall got done with her spell and the class watched the screen expectantly. A large field was what they saw first.

The grass was tall, green, and unending. They were on a hill overlooking miles of grassy lands. There were no houses or people in sight and suddenly a striking stallion appeared from the corner of the screen. It was running, its strong legs making a drumming sound on the hard ground. The silky coat shined brilliantly against the sun. Harry's Animagus form stopped running and raised its head to the wind. The mane blew in the wind wildly. Just like Harry's hair, this mane would not be tamed.

The scene melted away and the class was left staring at a blank screen. McGonagall nodded at Harry. "You may sit down Mr. Potter."

Harry headed back towards his seat and sat next to Malfoy. "Your form was beautiful," said a girl's voice in Harry's ear.

Harry glanced behind him in surprise. The girl who had spoken was a Slytherin and though Harry would never admit it outloud--a pretty Slytherin.

"Thanks," he said softly and she smiled and nodded before turning back to McGonagall.

"A stallion could be a form of different personalities. A wild stallion could mean that the person is--well, wild," she said and some students snickered. "Horses are also known to be compassionate toward their masters and very protective towards the ones loves."

"Potter sounds like mother hen," Malfoy said with a chuckle and Harry punched the Slytherin harshly. Some students were laughing.

"It depends on how someone looks at the person Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said.

"Very protective does not just mean in a motherly way. Think of it more as the horse will fight to the death to protect something it cares about," McGonagall said with a severe expression.

Malfoy blinked and Harry knew that his professor had struck a cord. Harry himself was amused. It was like McGonagall was protecting Harry's animagus form. He had not thought of being protective like the way his professor explained it. McGonagall went on about a few more things about horses before the bell rang for the next class.

Herbology was next and Harry headed there only pausing to listen to McGonagall telling them there homework assignments. Malfoy did not even pause to listen to McGonagall and Harry ended up stumbling after him.

The Slytherins laughed and when Harry caught up to Malfoy the teen had a smirk on his face.

"Neighhhh!" called out on one the Slytherins and they burst into laughter. Malfoy joined in and Harry blew out an annoyed breath.

He needed to make sure that whatever prank he pulled on Malfoy would be something good. Something much better then just dyeing his skin red and gold.

Malfoy was talking and laughing with his friends a little ways behind Harry. Noting that no one was paying any attention to him, Harry took his note out of his pocket.

Carefully he unfolded the small piece of parchment. Ron's loopy handwriting was scrawled across it sideways, so Harry straightened the note out.

_DA meeting tonight. Need your cloak and map, Ron. _

It was not very informative but Harry understood the meaning. Ron and Hermione did not want to be seen and since Harry was not coming, they wanted his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders Map. It was slightly annoying to Harry that Ron would just assume he would give his cloak to them without really asking.

He sighed. _Maybe I'm just irritated because I can't attend the meeting without Malfoy finding out, _Harry thought. He did not want to Obliviate the blond after the bond broke, so it was better if Malfoy never found out anything.

The sky was cloudy and a storm was brewing. Harry could smell it in the air and the wind was blowing breezily.

Malfoy knew it as well. "Making us go outside in these conditions," he grumbled and his friends mumbled their agreements. Harry laughed outloud at Malfoy's whining and the Slytherins looked at him with different looks ranging from dislike to curiosity.

"What's funny about the weather, Potter? We should be inside, not out here about to play around in dirt," Pansy said snootily.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I just think that you Slytherins are very…." he trailed off with a lost expression on his face.

"Yes?" Zambini asked slowly.

Harry grinned. "Fussy," he said.

Malfoy glared. "I am _not _fussy!"

Harry was starting to enjoy himself as he continued. "Fussy, hard to please, finicky, picky, and fastidious. There are more words to describe it and you, Malfoy, are all of them," Harry said with a final nod.

"All because I complained about the weather," Malfoy said with a sniff.

"It was the _way _you complained about the weather. You're like 'Oh my precious hair is going to get wet--"

Malfoy cut him off, "Jealous Potter?" Harry snickered but did not comment.

"Also, the weather truly is not that bad. If it was thundering then you would have a reason to complain or it there was a tornado--" once again Harry was cut off.

"Natural hazards won't affect Hogwarts, Potter. Haven't you read Hogwarts A History?" Nott said.

Harry burst into laughter, causing the Slytherins to stare at him. He knew Nott would not like him comparing him to Hermione, so he shook his head and walked faster to get to the Herbology building.

This lesson was just with the Slytherins, but the building was still pretty full. They stood the entire time during lessons and Harry's legs ached in memory of some of the longer lessons.

Professor Sprout had them peeling the bark from a miniature chana tree for this lesson. If you did not pull away the older pieces of bark, the plant would die. It was a job where you had to take your time or ruin the whole thing.

Malfoy was not being very careful with his chana tree. As Harry watched the tree wilted slightly from Malfoy pulling away a piece of bark that was new. "Here, stop!" Harry said with a wince and he nudged Malfoy over some.

"Your going about it all wrong," Harry said in a whisper. Malfoy crossed his arms but did not speak as Harry tried to show him the right way to go about peeling the plant's bark.

"See these parts here are slightly brown, they are the ones that you peel away. If you take away these parts that are still green your hurting the plant. If you kill it Sprout will go nuts," Harry said.

Malfoy nodded even though it was somewhat grudgingly. Harry moved back to his plant and glanced at Malfoy who seemed to be doing it right now. The chana plant sitting in front of Harry was done and he looked around to find some of the other Slytherins watching him curiously.

The green-eyed boy blinked but avoided their gazes. At the end of the class Harry was one of the last to file out the door and Professor Sprout came up to him.

"Ten points to Gryffindor for helping a classmate," Sprout said as she passed him. Harry had not expected to get any points and he could not suppress a grin that came on his face. Malfoy was behind him and he had heard what Sprout had said and he saw Harry's smile.

"I could of done it without your help," he said with a sniff and Harry rolled his eyes.

………………………………...

They ate lunch at the Gryffindor table, much to Malfoy's displeasure. The Gryffindors were not as quiet around Malfoy as they had been earlier. The table was alight with laughter and more then one person commented on Harry's new style.

"It would of looked better green, or maybe with ruby stripes," Fred said with a finger on his chin from across the table. He and George had been making fun of Harry's hair since they had sat down a few minutes ago.

"Don't you know any other spells for different colors besides pink, Malfoy? Because it's really not Harry's color," George said with a shake of his head.

"I don't use my time studying coloring spells," Malfoy said with a sneer.

"Oooh!" The Weasley twins said together making Harry and Ron laugh.

"What do you spend you time doing then Malfoy?" Hermione asked with humor in her voice.

Malfoy ignored her and the rest of the Gryffindors by staring at the opposite wall while eating. "The _silent _treatment?" Ron asked Harry. "Is he serious?" Ron laughed.

Malfoy said nothing throughout the rest of the meal, so the Gryffindors ignored him as well. It was almost like he was not there.

There were two more classes that day and they passed uneventful. One of the Slytherins asked Harry to play hang man with her during History. He accepted and was just grateful that the sentence did not spell 'Die, Potter, die!'. In fact the sentence was the name of one of the wizards they were supposed to be learning about. Another Slytherin, a male this time, joined in the game when History was almost over and won.

Dinner was just like lunch, except now Hermione made Malfoy sit a few places away from Harry. Harry did not ask questions and Malfoy was too busy being bothered by Fred and George to notice anyway.

"I wanted to show you my plans for the DA meeting," she said hurriedly and handed Harry a piece of paper.

He took it to find that Hermione had created a schedule for the DA. In her neat, slightly crammed handwriting she had written down a schedule. First a warm up session that lasted ten minutes. All they did during that was throw spells at each other, dodge and basic stuff. Then they learned new spells and how to use them. There was also a little bit of time for what to do if spells went wrong and a session on first aid spells.

Harry was impressed. "Wow, Hermione this is great," he said. She beamed with only a little nervousness in her smile.

"Thanks Harry. I'm a bit worried about how to go about teaching all this."

Harry reached across the table to pat her shoulder.

"You'll do fine. Just keep your temper, they're not going to understand the spells immediately so go over it a couple of times and make sure you try to help them," he said.

Hermione took a deep breath, "Okay, I'll try."

After dinner Harry and Malfoy headed to the Slytherin dormitories to drop their stuff off.

"Where are you two going?" Nott asked as Harry and Malfoy turned to go back out the door.

Malfoy sneered. "Potter here has Remedial Potions and so I have to get dragged along with him," he said.

"Ouch," Crabbe said with a wince while Zambini laughed.

"I knew you were bad, Potter, but I didn't know you were _that _bad," he said with humor.

"Oh shut up," Harry muttered as he walked out of the room with his two Occlumency books in his book bag.

He did not really mind their teasing now. Harry did not like them thinking that he had to have the extra lessons but it was better than knowing the truth. Malfoy was pulled out of the room and into the hall behind Harry as they headed toward Snape's office.

"How long will this last?" Malfoy grumbled.

"Around an hour," Harry said and Malfoy groaned.

"I could have all my homework done by then, Potter."

Harry chose not to reply and they reached Snape's office without speaking again.

Harry knocked politely on the office door while Malfoy uninterestedly looked at his nails. _What is Snape going to do about Malfoy? Could he actually be a real spy for Voldemort and he's lying to Dumbledore? _Harry thought with a thumping heart.

"Enter," came Snape's voice and Harry entered while he still had the courage.

The stone room was as gloomy as it had been the last time Harry had been there. Snape was sitting behind his desk and reading a book which he put down.

Once they were in the room Snape stood, took out his wand and cast many silent spells. Malfoy had a question on his face but he did not speak until Snape was finished casting.

"Why the privacy spells, professor?" he asked. Malfoy took a second to look around the room. "Where will Potter be having his extra lessons?" Harry could understand Malfoy's questions. There was no cauldron, ingredients or even a desk for Harry to sit before besides Snape's own. He wondered what excuse Snape had come up with. Harry was shocked when Snape did not have one.

"Potter is having Occlumency lessons, Mr. Malfoy. Remedial Potions is just a cover," Snape said smoothly. _It's like he's stating the weather for the day_, Harry thought in horror. All his secrecy was for nothing! Snape had just given away important iformation to the son of a Death Eater.

Malfoy blinked twice and glanced at Harry before crossing his arms over his chest.

"And your only telling me this because I can not tell anyone in my current state, right?" Malfoy asked Snape.

Snape nodded once and Malfoy sniffed in dislike. "Let me guess, your going to obliviate me as soon as this is whole mess is over?"

Snape inclined his head, "If that is necessary, then yes." Harry stared at both of them. _Is Snape a traitor or are Slytherins just this--weird? _he thought. Where was the shouting? Surely Malfoy was mad about his predicament.

"I think you can help Potter learn since he's utterly hopeless at the art," Snape said with a glare in Harry's direction.

Malfoy grinned. "I'll see what I can do."

Harry gaped at them. This was the biggest response Harry would get out of them? "Are you nuts?" he asked Snape who looked at him unblinkingly.

Harry waved at Malfoy, who was happily leaning back on his heels. "He's the _bad guy _and I do _not _want him shuffling through my mind! It's bad enough when you do it," Harry said with a huff.

"Mr. Malfoy only knows the basics of Occlumency," Snape said. "He won't be seeing your precious memories, Potter."

The sarcasm in Snape's voice made Harry frown. "Ands what about all those _secret _lessons? What if he goes and runs his mouth!"

"Potter," Snape said slowly, "If it makes you feel more comfortable, I have already gone over this with the Headmaster."

The sneer of Snape's face that he could not care less about how 'comfortable' Harry was.

"Fine," Harry said shortly and Snape turned back to Malfoy. Harry would just pay attention and keep his and close, he was in a room with Slytherins after all. Cunning and horrible Slytherins that would gladly watch him get tortured….Yes, Harry would keep his wand close.

"Stay over there until you're needed," professor said while pointing to a seat in the corner.

Malfoy looked a little put out but obediently went to sit. Snape turned around and his robes flowed around his ankles and Harry stood uncomfortably.

He held out his hands and Harry took his Occlumency books out of his bag and placed them in the man's waiting hand. Snape looked them over for damage and when he found none he glanced suspiciously at Harry.

"Did you even _try _to read these Potter?"

Harry straightened up and tried to keep an offended expression off his face. "Yes, sir," he said stiffly. Snape raised an eyebrow but did not comment except to place the books on his desk.

"Let's see if you actually learner something this time, Potter," Snape said as he took out his wand. Harry took a quiet deep breath and saw Malfoy watching him attentively. Then Snape invaded his mind.

"_Legilimens!" _Snape said.

Harry had prepared himself. He was safe from everyone. Snape and the now constant presence of Malfoy were gone. Harry was safe in _his _room; no one could get to him while he was there. But then the calmness in the room was rattled as something shook the room slightly.

Harry was in his safe place, but Snape was on his way in.

His easy state of mind was shattered at that thought and Harry opened his eyes with a gasp to find himself on the floor. Harry was lying sideways on the cold stone floor. Trying to push himself up, he was surprised to feel Snape's arm reaching under his to pull him off the floor. Harry stood with a slight stumble. Snape was staring at him oddly, like he could not figure him out.

"That was a remarkably better, Potter." It was the first compliment Harry had received from Snape. Harry fought back a smile. Snape would not appreciate happiness.

He tried to calm his glee which bubbled in his gut just waiting to be let out. Subduing it was almost painful but Harry managed. "You found a safe place and managed to stay there long enough so that any amateur Legimens would have already back down," Snape said as he straightened his collar.

"Unfortunately, I am not a amateur," Snape said and Harry waited for the criticism.

"You will not last very long if you should meet the Dark Lord. You still need more practice. You seem to have the basics down but I'm assigning Malfoy to go over them with you…two times a day," Snape said after a pause.

"Why can't he practice by himself?" Malfoy asked grumpily.

"Because he's been doing that for days and he needs to practice with someone who will keep distracting him. Potter needs to build a resistance to annoyances. You fit the job perfectly, Mr. Malfoy."

Harry laughed out loud before he could stop himself. _Snape is insulting Malfoy! _Harry thought disbelievingly. And what a brilliant insult it was. _Who would of thought the git had a sense of humor, _Harry thought with a grin.

"Okay already," Malfoy said, "no need to start that."

Snape smirked. "That will be enough for tonight, Potter. I don't want to be able to break your shield next time," he said warningly as Harry got up.

"Yes sir," Harry nodded and moved toward the door.

"Remember, Mr. Malfoy, one word and the bond will make you pay," Snape said. Malfoy nodded seriously. Not a trace of amusement could be found on his face. Although Harry was not sure just what the punishment for trying to tell someone's secret was, he did not want to find out. It seemed that Malfoy agreed with him on that matter.

There was no conversation back to the Slytherin dormitories. It was quiet in the dorm when Harry and Malfoy entered and a few of the Slytherins were asleep.

"You going to the lions' den now, Draco?" Zambini asked as Harry shrunk his trunk and placed it in his pocket. He had already lost Sirius's letter. Harry did not want to lose anything else and he was not going to risk it.

Malfoy nodded and Nott shook his head in mock sadness. "It was nice knowing you," he said.

"Can I have your broom after you're dead, Draco?" Goyle asked innocently.

"Shut up, you," Malfoy said as he chucked his pillow in Golye's direction. "I eat Gryffindors like Potter and his friends for breakfast," Malfoy said and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Cannibal," he said in a stage whisper and Nott laughed.

Malfoy shoved past Harry who rolled his eyes. "Nighty night, Draco. Watch out for lions!" one of the Slytherins called out as Harry shut the door to the dorm.

…………………………..

The Gryffindors were waiting for them. Harry could tell Malfoy was nervous even though he tried to hide it behind a mask of boredom. Once inside the Fat Lady's portrait, Harry was swept into a hug by half the Gryffindor house.

"Noo!" He cried theatrically as he was gathered into a giant bear hug. Hermione laughed from beside him and Ron chuckled as he tried to escape the arms that had him and his friends caught.

The hugging finally stopped and everyone went off to bed after welcoming Harry back. Harry sighed happily and turned back to Malfoy. He was looking uncomfortable as Ron glared at him with Neville just behind him.

"Alright guys," Harry said coming forward reluctantly to save Malfoy. "They didn't touch me so--don't kill him," he said, unconsciously repeating Snape's very words. Neville walked up to the dorm without speaking and Harry led Malfoy to the dorm.

Malfoy was looking around curiously. It was quite different from the Slytherin rooms. It was cheery and had a homey feeling to it for Harry. But to Malfoy it was probably something very different. He seemed comfortable in the dungeons, like a snake in his pit.

They entered Harry's old dorm and the voices inside instantly stopped. Dean, Neville, and

Seamus had been talking quietly to themselves, but they stopped to watch Malfoy coldly.

A bed had been added to the room and unlike the one in the Slytherins dorm, this one did not fit very well. It would be even more crammed than usual now that they had someone else in the room. Clothes hung from bed frames, books were tossed everywhere and homework lay all over the floor.

Though the Slytherin dorm was inferior in every other way, Harry found himself missing the neatness just a bit.

From Malfoy's pinched expression, he agreed with Harry. Trying to break the ice a little, Harry went over and collapsed on his made bed. "My bed," he moaned happily and Ron laughed.

"We wanted to keep it just the way you left it," Ron said.

"But Hermione ruined that," Neville said. "She destroyed the mess of tangled sheets you created." Harry shook his head with a sigh, "All that hard work for nothing," he said.

They broke into laughter and started to get ready for bed. Dean and Seamus just ignored Malfoy but Harry went over to him.

"Just so you know, the bathroom is over there and it's smaller than what your used to," he said. Malfoy nodded and went of with his stuff to get ready for bed. As soon as he entered and shut the bathroom door the Gryffindors jumped over to each other.

"So what are we going to do to him!" Ron asked excitedly.

"Replace his hair gel with glue," Neville said with a snort.

"Super glue," Seamus said with a laugh.

Harry grinned but shook his head. "No, no. no. Gentlemen, we need a prank that the entire school will witness. But it can't be brutal. That will get us in trouble and we do not want that."

"So what do you suggest, Mr. Genius?" Ron asked sarcastically. Harry smiled mischievously and told them.

"Oh...wow," Dean said a minute later in amazement.

Ron was laughing so hard he could not speak and Neville covering his mouth to hold in his laughter. "It's brilliant, Harry. You think we can do it?"

Harry nodded. "We're going to have to be careful, but we can definitely do it. We'll need Hermione's help, though."

The bathroom door opened and the Gryffindors tried to look casual. Ron, though, who was still gasping with laughter on the floor, gave them away. Malfoy looked at them suspiciously but got in the bed and pulled his hangings closed firmly.

The Gryffindors grinned at each other before going to bed as well. They would need their sleep for what they were planning.


	12. Chapter 12: Gryffindor Strikes Back

Harry wanted to sleep. He was tired and did not want to spend the time it took to clear his mind. Harry was not going to stop practicing Occlumency right after he received a compliment from Snape. Even though he wanted too badly.

So before he went to bed, he spent ten minutes calming himself to clear his mind. It was hard to do because of the excitement. He had a lot planned for the Slytherin sleeping in the next bed.

Thinking about it, then, Harry had grinned eagerly. It would be brilliant. They had sent a short message by owl to Hermione explaining their plan and she had sent one back quickly. Harry was surprised at how eagerly she had agreed. But Malfoy was enough to make even the calmest of people want revenge. Now all they had to do was wait until it was time.

_If I can fall asleep quickly then the time for pranking will come quicker, _Harry thought.

…………………………..

It was just a few hours later that Harry woke up. He had spelled a wake up charm on himself before going to bed. It was still dark outside. The sky had only the slightest tints of light in it. It was time.

Quietly, he got out of bed and moved toward the bed next to him. Ron was shaken awake gently by Harry's hand. Seamus and Neville were already waking up and one of them moved away to wake up Dean.

They were as silent as mice. Harry had slept in his clothes all night so he would not have to stop and get dressed. There was one small knock on the door before it slid open to reveal Hermione.

She grinned at seeing them and moved into the room. They all stood around Malfoy's bed impatiently. "Do you have Colin's camera?" Dean asked Hermione. She took it from a pack she had over her shoulder.

Hermione drew her wand and cast several spells. A few times she frowned while casting, but when she was done she said, "Okay, he won't be able to hear us, and I put him under a heavy sleeping charm. The only way he'll wake up is if you drop the bed on the staircase."

"That's not a bad idea," Ron said with a nasty grin and Neville snickered. Harry rolled his eyes and moved the curtains back from Malfoy's bed. "Ron, we're pulling a prank, not trying to traumatize him for life."

"You're no fun," Harry heard him grumble. Harry hid a smirk as he vanished the hangings on Malfoy's bed. Malfoy was sleeping on his back with his hands on his stomach. _He even sleeps orderly, _Harry thought with a laugh.

"We are going to be in _so much trouble!_" Hermione said but to Harry she seemed more excited by the prospect than worried.

"As long as were caught _after _the prank I don't mind. Now, come on and levitate the bed," Harry said.

Hermione levitated the bed and Harry grinned as it rose. Next, Seamus made the bed smaller so that it just barely held Malfoy on it. Harry quickly fetched the Marauder Map, being careful not to let his other roommates see it. The bed was led out of the Gryffindor dormitory on carefully down the stairs.

The common room was empty as they entered it with the floating bed right behind them. A fire was out but the embers were still glowing, casting shadows on the walls. Harry cast a disillusionment charm on Malfoy and the bed before leading it out the portrait.

The castle was quiet and the threat of being caught out this early made Harry that more excited. "Thanks for doing this, Hermione," Harry whispered to his friend.

"Anything to get back at Malfoy," Hermione muttered with a grin. Even though Malfoy would not be able to hear them because of one of the spells on his bed, they still needed to be careful not to be found by Filch or a ghost.

After going down halls, staircases, and almost waking up Malfoy, they finally made it to the Entrance Hall.

The doors to the Great Hall were shut but a few voices could be heard from inside. Harry thought he recognized McGonagall's voice before they carefully filed out the door.

The ground outside was mushy. It had pored all night long and some trees were still dripping raindrops. Harry just hoped Hermione would not slip while she was directing Malfoy's bed. _That _would certainly wake the blond up.

The Gryffindors almost ran to the lake with Malfoy's bed flying along behind them. They were careful in their steps, taking care not to step in any puddles.

Harry could not hold in a laugh as they reached the lake. It was going to be brilliant, better than any joke he had ever played before.

Hermione lowered the bed onto the grassy slope that connected to the lake. "Harry, would you like to do the honors?"

Harry took a small bow. "It would be my pleasure," he said with a smile.

"Let's get a picture first!" Neville said.

"When we're old and gray, we can look back and laugh our heads off," Dean said.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione stood in front of the lake while Neville took a picture of them. A few more pictures were taken of the rest of the Gryffindors and then one of them all standing in front of Malfoy's bed. They were grinning like idiots but as happy as larks.

The Gryffindors settled down as Harry lifted his wand and floated Malfoy's bed into the lake. He also cast a flotation spell so that Malfoy would not sink under the lake. It was a good

"You had better tie him to something so that he does not float too far away, Harry," Hermione said.

Harry did that and Malfoy's bed floated as far as the rope would let him.

Together they watched as the bed sailed merrily on the lake. "Hope the giant squid doesn't eat him," Ron said in false concern. That was all it took for the laughter Harry had been holding in to come out.

He fell to his rear as laughter shook him. Laughter is contagious and before they knew it all the Gryffindors were laughing their head off.

"He is going to freak out!" Harry said as he wiped tears from his eyes. "I gotta send a picture of this to Snuffles."

"And Remus," Hermione said. She was using a hanky to dry her face. A few minutes later Dean, Seamus and Neville left to go inside.

Hermione took some pictures of Malfoy from the shore. They could just see him still asleep and lying comfortable. He would never know what hit him. Malfoy's bed was rocking gently with the waves of the lake. The birds were singing and the sun was coming out. The rays of light warmed Harry's skin and he sat contently beneath the boughs of a tree.

A few minutes later, Malfoy started waking up. Seeing the light movements, Harry stood up with his friends right behind him.

Harry knew when Malfoy woke. He could see how wide the blond's eyes were from the shore. Then he started screaming bloody murder as he scooted up against the headboard. His brash movements caused the bed to rock and Malfoy held on for dear life.

Joyous laughter from Harry and his friends caused the blond to spin around.

"Beat _that _Malfoy!" The dark haired teen crowed, punching the air with victory.

Hermione laughed and clapped her hands together. "POTTER!" Malfoy yelled furiously, he was now clutching the sheets to his chest. His Slytherin green pajama's shone in the sunlight.

"What is it Malfoy?" Harry called back mockingly.

"I'm going to KILL YOU!" Malfoy screamed back and the bed tilted furiously at his violent fist waving.

"_Someone _woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Ron said with a snicker. Malfoy muffled a scream of frustration into his duvet and the trio laughed at him.

"What's the matter? Never had a water bed before?" Hermione called out innocently. Malfoy's glare was enough to make anyone flinch, and if the friends had not been so pleased with themselves at the moment, they would have.

"If you don't get me back on shore _this instant_ I'll--" Malfoy did not know how to complete his threat and he stuttered to a stop.

"You'll what? Finish a sentence?" Harry asked while laughing. A few students were beginning to wander outside to eat breakfast in the sun. It was Saturday, so there was no need to hurry to class.

Malfoy saw this, as well, and Harry could see him turning pink at the prospect of everyone seeing him. "Come _on _Potter. The squid is going to _eat me_!"

Harry laughed. The squid chose that moment to raise a long tentacle right next to Malfoy splashing water on the shrieking teen. "Maybe we should pull him back…" Hermione muttered watching the scene. As she spoke, more and more students were coming to the lake, having heard the commotion.

More tentacles were surfacing around the bed and one wrapped itself around the headboard. "Potter, do something!" Malfoy yelled as he spun around watching in horror as the bed was wrapped in the squids clutches.

Ron gulped as he watched. The squid started dragging Malfoy and his bed farther away from the shore, stretching the rope to its limits. But even the thick rope could not handle the tension and it snapped.

"Crap!" That was the only thing Harry had time to say before he was shooting into the water. The bond would not allow him to be any further away from Malfoy. So Harry was dragged into the lake admist the sounds of his yelling friends.

He inhaled a little air and then a lot of water as he was dragged under. This _was not _how his prank was supposed to go. Harry did not even have time to get his bearings before he was being dragged through the water.

He was losing his head when the squid stopped. Harry's lungs ached for fresh air and his eyes stung slightly. He had always hated getting water in them.

Harry could see light upwards through the blackness of the water. He tried to swim to the top without much success. He was not a good swimmer. His brain was getting fuzzy as his energy ran out.

It was a sad thing to quit now. The surface was so close. Then a hand wrapped around his wrist and pulled at him. To Harry it was like being pulled through pudding. The water seemed thick and it seemed like it would never end--but then, he breached the surface.

Harry couldn't see a thing as he started choking up the water as soon as fresh air hit him. His throat burned and someone was pulling him onto a soft surface which was slightly wobbly.

"Do you have to be so dramatic Potter?" asked Malfoy's voice. Harry was still trying hard not to cough his guts up so he refrained from answering. He may not of been able to speak but his mind was busy.

_Why did he save me? _Was Harry's first question on his mind. Malfoy hated him and although it had toned down, the hatred was still there.

His brain tried to come up with answered too Malfoy sudden bought of heroism. _Maybe there would be to many witnesses to say he did not try to save me? He wants to let Voldemort do it instead? He did it by accident, it was just a natural response? _

Harry was not sure if he was hoping Malfoy had other reasons for saving him. The thought of Malfoy saving him because he _wanted _to was almost worse then anything else Harry could think of.

Malfoy was his foe, enemy and all around school nemesis. Harry would ignore these new thoughts. Instead he would hope that Malfoy just wanted too kill him himself. That was something Harry was used to.

After he got his bearings, Harry looked around. He and Malfoy were sitting on the floating bed. It was right along the shore.

Hearing shouts, Harry looked around. He could see Ron and Hermione along with some other students running toward him.

Makfoy was the one that had pulled him out of the water. The Slytherin was now watching him with a smug expression that Harry _really _wanted to smack off.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked from just a few feet away on the shore.

She and Ron were panting from running around the lake. "Yeah, I'm fine," Harry said.

"You could have been drowned, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as Ron leaned over and held out his hand. The bed wobbled but stayed afloat as Harry used Ron's hand to climb off the bed.

Malfoy was left to climb out on his own. "It would not have mattered if you had not done this in the first place," he said with a sneer.

Ron rolled his eyes. "It was a joke, just like the one you pulled on Harry."

"_My _prank did not involve a ferocious beast!" Malfoy exclaimed as he flattened his normally perfect hair.

Hermione giggled. "The giant squid is hardly a ferocious beast Malfoy."

"Yeah," Ron joined in amusedly. "The squid's harmless."

Malfoy frowned. "I could of drowned." A thought suddenly hit Harry for not thinking of it earlier. _Malfoy saved me because the bond would of hurt him if he didn't! _

Harry felt like an idiot for thinking his silly thoughts earlier. He grinned to himself happy to know that nothing had changed.

"The squid would of saved you," Hermione was saying. They started off toward Hogwarts with the dripping bed following behind, thanks to Hermione.

"Oh, just what I need first thing in the morning. A tentacle hauling me out of the lake and putting me back on my brand new water bed." Malfoy's voice was so sarcastic that Harry was having a hard time not laughing.

"If _that _wouldn't give me a heart attack nothing would," the Slytherin continued in a growl.

Ron laughed, "Merlin, I wished we could of gotten a picture!"

Malfoy's sneer was more pronounced now. "Shut your trap, Weasley. Go snog the mudblood or something," he snarled.

Ron turned red and immediately grabbed his wand. Hermione sighed as the two faced off.

"Oh brother," Harry muttered with a sigh. He was not happy with Malfoy insulting Hermione but he could de without the fighting.

"Take it back," Ron warned waving his wand threateningly and Malfoy snorted.

"Think I'm scared of _you _Weasel?"

Harry stepped forward toward Ron. "Come on, he's not worth it," Harry said trying to get his friend to lower his wand.

"Harry's right, Ron, come on," Hermione said encouragingly.

It was a miracle that Ron actually listened. It was not something that happened often, and the chances for that happening was even slimmer when Malfoy was involved. But amazingly, Ron lowered his wand. He was breathing heavily and his hand twitched to curse Malfoy, but he turned away and walked back to the Entrance Hall.

Harry glanced in surprise at Hermione and they ran to catch up with their friend. There was a exclamnation from Malfoy as he was dragged along against his will.

"Wow, Ron, that was fantastic!" Harry said enthusiastically. The redhead grinned at Harry amd Hermione who were watching him with new found respect.

"Thanks," Ron said happily. "I figured if you can try to hold your temper then so can I," he said to Harry.

"That's great, Ron," Hermione said with a contented sigh. "

"Keeping _your_ temper under control is a pretty big task," Harry said teasingly. Hermione nodded as Ron's blush rose up again.

"The Weasley temper is famous. It takes more control to keep it down," Hermione said. "I'm proud of you Ron Weasley."

From a few feet behind them Malfoy made a gagging noise. Ron's shoulders stiffened slightly but he calmed a minute later.

They made it to the the Great Hall without any more fighting. Harry was dripping and Malfoy was slightly wet and very disgruntled. Ron headed straight to Gryffindor table with Hermione but Harry and Malfoy went upstairs.

Hermione sent Malfoy's bed back in the dormitory with Harry. It was drawing a lot of laughter. The same could be said for Malfoy's underdressed state, much to the teen's embarrassment. He had conjured a bath robe, admitting sulkily that he did not know how to conjure up a real robe.

They went in opposite directions once they reached their dormitory. Malfoy fetched clothes and headed off to the bathroom to get dressed in privacy. He still looked pretty grumpy when he left but Harry was not extremely worried. When he got back to the Slytherin rooms, _then _he would be worried.

They were back in the Great Hall within a few minutes. Malfoy was looking immaculate as ever when he had returned from the bathroom. Harry had been ready to leave and have the bond drag Malfoy out of the bathroom but he had finally come along.

Walking through the Great Hall doors, Harry was met with some cheers from his friends. The prank on Malfoy had been spread around already. News always spread fast so Harry was not that surprised.

Harry almost stumbled when he was slapped on the back by Fred and George, who had come up behind him. "Brilliant mate," Fred said.

"If you ever need a job as prankster apprentice come see us," George said with a grin in Malfoy's direction.

Malfoy was not even trying to keep his expression calm. He was furious that he had been embarrassed and was not afraid to show it. Malfoy strode toward the table pulling Harry away from Hannah, who had stopped to talk to him. Harry looked despairingly at Hannah, who was looking amused and slightly worried for her friend's sake.

The black-haired teen understood her worry. He was worried for himself as well. There was no wrath like an angry Malfoy's.

The Gryffindors leaned away from Malfoy as he sat ungraciously at the table. The way Malfoy slammed a spoonful of oatmeal on his plate was warning enough. Harry did not know it was possible to show emotion while eating until he watched Malfoy.

The blond ripped apart his toast viciously and spilled pumpkin juice as he slammed his glass down. It seemed that unlike Harry and Ron, Malfoy was not trying to control his anger.

Hermione seemed amused at Malfoy's anger and Ron was happily smug. Harry on the other hand was about to shout at Malfoy. The blond's food and drink kept landing on him due to his current loss of table manners. It was not like Malfoy to be so haphazard with food. He usually acted like the aristocrat he was at the table.

The people who had seen just what had happened outside were telling the tale to everyone else. Dumbledore was smiling at the Head Table, but Umbridge looked as unpleasant as ever.

Harry frowned. _I wonder what she will try to do to to us on Monday. _He wondered with trepidation. Harry looked over at Hermione. He really needed to talk to her about the article. As far as Harry was concerned, the sooner they could get the news out about Umbridge's abuse, the better. Wondering where or when she would pop up at was grating on his nerves.

Harry tried to divert his thoughts away from Umbridge. He still had to learn Occlumency and study the book from his future self which still had pages he had not even looked at. And he had to do this without attracting Malfoy's attention.

The DA needed to be sorted out because Harry _really _wanted to learn how to protect himself better. If Voldemort was planning on attacking soon, he wanted to be prepared.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Ron asked, speaking to no one in particular.

Hermione spoke up. "We need to find the brasious plant for our Herbology." Before they could complain she continued.

"It would be the perfect day to do that, and we can spend some time outside. We've been stuck inside Hogwarts for days," she said in an almost pleading tone. "I have the same homework," Malfoy said. "If we get it done I won't have to drag Potter outside later."

Ron looked at Harry, asking for his opinion without speaking. Harry shrugged. "The more homework we can get done with the better," he said.

Hermione smiled at Harry before looking at Ron, who sighed. "I guess the quicker we get it done the more time we'll have to do everything else."

…………………………

The three Gryffindors and Malfoy headed outside. Malfoy was giving them the silent treatment now although he had not been quiet about complaining a few minutes ago.

He did not want to go outside where he, 'might get dirty' because it was, 'a muddy zoo'. Harry had laughed at Malfoy making the blond snarled at him. "Just wait, Potter," he had muttered.

Now Malfoy was subdued. He had to admit that he needed to get his Herbolgy homework done as well. The after-rain smell made Harry breath deeply. It was beautiful outside and Harry would not let his light-hearted mood be disturbed by a moody brat.

They walked along the edge of the forest looking for the plant. "What does it look like again Hermione?"

Hermione sighed and was going to reply but Malfoy cut in. "It's dark green, but has a bright red stem. It's about this tall and likes shade," Malfoy said without scorn.

Hermione blinked, it seemed Malfoy had gotten over his earlier grudge ands was actually trying to be helpful. Ron looked surprised and glanced at Harry.

Harry shook his head and Ron continued looking for the plant. It was more difficult to find than Harry thought it would be.

They searched around the forest floor for ages and even peered into the Forbidden Forest. But they didn't have any luck.

They trailed away from the forest and passed Hagrid's hut. Harry wanted to stop and say hello to his large friend but did not think Malfoy would like that idea. Harry was going back to the Slytherin rooms tonight and he already knew that Malfoy was no doubt going to do something terrible to him for the water bed prank.

Although the pranking had all been in fun, Harry wondered if he should try to stop it. Maybe create a truce until the bond thing was done with. _Playing pranks on each other probably was not what Dumbledore was hoping for, _Harry thought dryly.

Was the reason he was in this bond because Dumbledore really did want them to settle their differences? That was like telling Snape not to take points. But if Harry and Malfoy got along for a while, maybe the bond would be removed.

Harry could always hope. He was not exactly comfortable with Malfoy being around him all the time, and he knew that the Slytherin would say the same about him.

For a minute Harry wondered if there was anything that Malfoy had not been able to do since Harry had been around. Did he have secret plans that could not be revealed to anyone other then his friends? Malfoy could be in the same situation as Harry was--with a few minor differences. Harry was sure that Malfoy's future self had not come back to warn him of a terrible future.

They were passing the bridge now that went across the lake. It was far below them, just over a sharp cliff. Malfoy did not get too close to the edge but looked out from a distance.

Harry glanced over with Ron and Hermione. The lake was wide, much larger then the one the giant squid lived in. It was beautiful. The water sparkled in the sun. Harry wondered if there were any magical beings under the calm surface.

"Is there anything living under there Hermione? Besides fish, that is," Harry asked as they walked along the edge carefully.

Hermione's brow furrowed. "I don't know," she said and Ron gaped at her dramatically.

"You don't know?" he said incredulously and Hermione sighed. "What is the world coming to!" Ron cried out dramatically and Harry looked over at Malfoy who seemed pleased.

They walked a little while longer and Harry was starting to wonder if they were ever going to find the plant. He and the rest of them were stuck between the edge that fell over into the lake far below and a small cliff.

Harry wandered over to the cliff and looked down. It did not jut down like the one next to the lake but instead went down smoothly. Like the rain had taken away any jagedness out of it. Harry was surprised to see a valley just down the hill. It had tall grass in between small trees and a few ferns.

He was further surprised to see a red stemed plant hiding under one of those ferns.

"Hey!" he exclaimed excitedly. His friends and Malfoy turned. "I think I see the brasious plant," Harry said.

Hermione's glum expression brightened immediately as she ran over with the other two right behind her. She stepped up behind Harry and looked at where he was pointing. Seeing the plant, Hermione clapped her hands together happily.

"But mate, how are we going to get all the way down _there_?" Ron asked as he looked down.

Harry bit his lip. "I don't know." He leaned over slightly to look left and try to see a way down. "Maybe we can climb--" Harry's sentence was cut off as the dirt beneath him gave away.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed and reached for him. The thing was that Harry was going down and Hermiones weight was not going to stop him, even when Ron added to that weight.

Hermione rached widely with her other hand and grabbed onto the Malfoy's cloak. Together they went over the small hill and tumbled down. Harry ended up sliding on his rear down the hill at a fast speed.

He came to a jerky stop that threw him down on his face. Then Ron landed on him, making him gasp and try to escape the redhead's weight.

Malfoy and Hermione bumped into them making Ron groan. Harry managed to push Ron off him. Seeing their expressions he smiled. "Wow," he said in mock awe. "Let's do that again!"

Striding off toward the hill Harry was stopped when Ron, Hermione and Malfoy yelled, "No!" Two hands grabbed Harry's, ankle making him fall.

Harry laughed at them as they tried to straighten themselves up. The four of them were covered in mud and Ron fell back into the mud when he saw Malfoy. His usually perfect hair was coated in mud and Malfoy himself looked horrified. "Bloody hell, Potter!" he exclaimed. "I'm going to _kill you!_"

Harry frowned. "I did not drag you down the hill and we found the stupid plant," he said while pointing. Malfoy looked furious.

"I'm going to tear you and your idiotic frends to pieces and then give them to Snape for potions and _then--_" Malfoy's ranting was cut off as Harry threw a handfull of mud at him. Malfoy stared at the mud on his chest and face and looked back at Harry. His mouth was shut now but he looked dangerous.

The mud-covered blond bent over gracefully and scooped up a fistful of mud that dripped past his fingers. Harry's eyes widened. "Malfoy, what--" this time Harry was the one covered in mud.

Malfoy crossed his arms and raised a mud covered eyebrow. "Yes Potter?"

Harry's mouth betrayed him and he smiled. "You want to play liker that, eh?"

Malfoy almost smiled. "Can't handle it, Potter?

Harry laughed and fired. A few minutes later nothing in a fifteen feet radius was not brown. The trees had even suffered from Harry's and Malfoy's actions.

They were panting and absolutely filthy. Hermione and Ron had wisely kept out of the way and Hermione had reached the plant before Harry and Malfoy. So it was kept safely in the bag Hermione kept over her shoulder.

Together they headed back to the school laughing at each other. "Filch is going to freak," Malfoy muttered as he stared down at himself in disgust.

Harry snickered. "You don't know any cleaning spells? I thought you were good in charms?"

Malfoy seemed to straighten at the praise making Ron roll his eyes. "I am," Malfoy said smugly. "I just don't know any spells for this sort of damage," he muttered with a chuckle.

The sun was about to set soon and Harry was hungry. It had been a good day so far but he still had to practice Occlumency with Malfoy. And since the blond's job was to irritate Harry until his concetration broke, he wondered how he was going to guard his mind tonight.

**A/N: **Thanks for all the marvelous reviews folks. They give me the kick I need to get writing, so thanks bunches! I'm thinking of leaving this story without a pairing. Maybe if I have a sequel I'll write a pairing. I still need new members for my yahoo group, link is in my profile if you are interested.

Many thanks to the following people. **Tambrathegreat, Redcat8, Ginny****'s love, **Wow, moving to Alaska? What an adventure, thanks for the reviews! **Mizu1411, magicquill9, Asterix Tutnix, **Harry has so many things on his mind, he should be more worried about it then he is but it will show up. **La-p'tite'tete, Sonseeahray, Cap'n Stella, **That's funny that you should say a Slythering girl, lol. I had thought about that seriously, but now I I'm not sure there will be a pairing. Thank you for your wonderful reviews! **Dunno, Grace M, Fattoad, Ann, Reading Red, Xenia marvolo, ElevenGirl, Alix Baudelaire, Munchnzoey, Erinamation-limited2-nothing, Dragon weaver, Snapesthe1, Eaglesfreak17, Faerylark, **Lol, sorry dear. I don't write slash, although this bond would have been a great way to get Harry and Draco together. **Harry.is.a.brave.fool. **I have seriously thought about creating a Slytherin for Harry. I would have to try hard to make sure she is not a Mary Sue though. **lisaxy, Eskaybe4, Snarky B, November, black rhino, Hobesan, Lina03, LilyAnne, ImperialJedi, **Cool name, like Obi Wan as well? (sighs happily) Thank you for all your reviews!


	13. Chapter 13: Wisdom From Yourself

The group was still dripping mud when they made it to Hogwart's front doors. Harry had suggested that they take a dip in the lake, but Malfoy had refused, saying, "I've had enough of the lake to last me a lifetime."

Hermione would not agree to cast cleaning charms on them, saying it was their fault for starting a mud fight in the first place.

So that was how they entered the main entrance: covered in mud. The Great Hall was full of chattering students, but luckily, the Gryffindors and Malfoy were hidden from view by two large doors. "Maybe we can get to the tower without being seen," Harry said hopefully.

It was not to be. They had just made it to the second floor when Snape appeared around a corner. He stopped short at he sight of the Gryffindors and Malfoy. Snape blinked and Harry knew that he was surprised. It was over in a second and Snape was on them like a dog on a bone.

"What did you get into this time, Potter?" he asked disgustedly. Harry winced and he felt Ron and Hermione taking an almost unnoticeable step back._ Thanks guys,_ he thought sarcastically.

"We--fell in the mud sir…multiple times," Harry said sheepishly. Snape raised an eyebrow in obvious disbelief. "Must have been a lot of mud," he muttered with a shake of his head.

Harry was staring at the man, _Was he actually joking? _he wondered_. _Harry was stopped from staring at the man as he spoke.

"Get to your tower before I decide to take points," he said threateningly. Harry decided not to test Snape's patience and left quickly.

"Yes sir, thank you sir," Harry said. His rather pathetic apology brought Dobby to mind, but he pushed that thought away. After meeting Snape, they all ran to the tower and avoided much attention.

"I can't believe he let us go!" Ron said in awe. They were now back in the warm, empty common room.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "We stink Weasley. You may not have noticed because you always smell like this, but Snape _definitely _smelt us."

Hermione nodded and crinkled her nose. "His toes were probably curling inside those boots," she said with a giggle.

Harry nodded; the statement was most likely not far from the truth. The metal image of Snape's toes though, made him grimace. Although he did wonder what kind of socks the man wore.

Harry and Draco ran toward the boys' shower, leaving an annoyed Hermione to clean up the mess left behind. Many minutes later they were clean and Malfoy looked extremely relieved about it. Watching Malfoy inspect his arms for dirt, Harry thought that growing up, Malfoy had probably never been dirty for fun.

Unlike Malfoy, Harry had made mud pies and offered them to Dudley when he was little. It had been fun to him, spending hours making 'masterpieces.'

They had grown up in entirely different environments. The Malfoys, after all, were an old aristocratic family. Draco Malfoy had probably never known the joy of playing in dirt.

To Harry's surprise, he found himself feeling sad at this latest consideration. Playing outside and especially getting dirty had been fun to him. The highlight of his younger days involved a dirt castle.

Although, Harry was sure Malfoy had probably had many toys. He had probably never found the need to wander outside.

"What are you staring at Potter?" Malfoy crossed his arms over his chest. He was glaring at Harry who had been in the act of tying his shoe for the past several minutes. He had abandoned the task for staring at Malfoy and thinking of mud.

"Nothing, just thinking." Malfoy was suspicious but he left the matter alone. Harry decided to put aside private deliberations with himself until he was alone. There was no need to make a fool of himself in the process.

They headed down to dinner together where they ate to their heart's content.

Harry was almost finished when an owl landed next to him. He freed it of his burden and it flew off. He unrolled the short message.

_I would like it if you and Mister Malfoy would please sleep in the Gryffindor dormitories tonight. _

_Yours Sincerely, _

_Professor Dumbledore_

Harry frowned and looked up at the head table. Dumbledore met his gaze and nodded at Harry.

"What is it, Potter?" Malfoy asked him. Harry told and Malfoy frowned grumbling about unfairness as he turned back to his food.

Harry was sure there was more to the message but did not push it, he was happy to stay with his friends for another night.

………………………………..

"Focus, Potter!"

Harry growled at Malfoy, who looked unimpressed. He was bored already. Harry had not been able to clear his mind yet. They had already spent twenty minutes at the task Snape had assigned them. So far, it had only helped Harry get a headache.

Together they had snuck away from the rest of the Gryffindors and hid in the dormitory. There was a locking charm on the door to keep any unwanted people from barging in. Harry knew it would look suspicious if anyone was to try to get in the room. He just hoped that they would be left alone long enough to get done. All Harry had to do was clear in mind in Malfoy's presence, then he was free. That was the rule Malfoy had laid down when they entered the room. "Clear you mind and keep it that way for a while and I'll leave you alone after that."

Malfoy had patience for the first ten minutes and was enjoying the act of diverting Harry's attention from clearing his mind. Now though, Malfoy was bored and his insults were getting nastier. Harry was ready to bring out his wand and curse the young man.

"I'm trying," he said petulantly.

"Obviously you are not trying hard enough. Snape is wasting his time," Malfoy snapped back.

Harry frowned. "Don't say that, Malfoy." The idea that all this was in vain made Harry feel ill.

The Slytherin crossed his arms. "Why should I? It's the truth; you're wasting his time and mine."

"I'm _trying!_ It's the best I can do, okay?" Harry was getting mad. He was trying; he knew what was at stake.

"You have to do more then try, Potter. You have to clear your mind; it's the main step in learning Occlumency." Malfoy was starting to calm himself back down.

Harry took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "Can we try that again?" Malfoy nodded tiredly.

The green-eyed boy sat on his bed and folded his legs underneath him. Closing his eyes, Harry tried to remember the details of his room. The safe place he had found himself was always warm. He imagined a fire that was always burning, and Harry could almost feel the comforting heat.

The blankets wrapped around him, comforting and homey. Home, this is what Harry imagined it would feel like. Safe and at peace, where no one could touch him with the intent of harm.

Someone was knocking on his bedroom door. Harry frowned. It was Malfoy and the prat had managed to grab his attention.

His concentration had been broken. Harry's safe place was disappearing around him. The strong hold which had felt unbreakable had been broken.

Malfoy was studying him with a finger on his chin. "That was better, Potter. Try it again but this time _concentrate._"

_I _was _concentrating_,_ Malfoy, _Harry thought but he settled back down. His safe place came back quickly. He was aware now of Malfoy lurking around the outsides of his room. It was a bad feeling, like danger was lurking right outside.

Harry told himself that no one could get inside. The door was made of steel. His _mind _was made of steel and it would not be broken.

Malfoy pulled away and he looked a little surprised. "I did it?' Harry asked as he stood. Malfoy nodded. "Yes, you finally managed. I couldn't find any holes or cracks in your shield."

"My shield?" Harry asked. He had been in his safe place but there had been no shield, only the door could be considered a shield. "You had a metal shield around your mind. I could not breach it," Malfoy said.

Harry still looked confused. "I don't remember putting up a shield." Malfoy sat on his bed to undo his shoes.

"You will not notice yourself doing it until your better. Now you may do it my accident. You don't have control over it yet," Malfoy said. "We will have to work harder at getting you aware of your mind. Just thinking things can make them happen. Get control over you thoughts and you will have mastered it."

It sounded quite difficult to Harry. Malfoy seemed to understand it, though, so it could not be too hard.

Harry wanted to go back downstairs but Malfoy gave him a look that promised pain when he headed to the door. Rolling his eyes, Harry unlocked the door and sat back on his bed.

What could he do now? _Do I dare bring out my book? _Malfoy was caught up in writing a letter. Harry bit his lip and made a decision. If Malfoy noticed Harry fetch something from his trunk; he did not say anything about it.

Harry wondered if it would look suspicious to close his curtains. Closing them might look like he had something to hide, which he _did_. Malfoy did not need to know that, though.

He decided that he was probably over-thinking the situation and turned over on his stomach to read. The book was worn from his handling, especially the pages that contained worrisome problems.

There were pages that he had not ventured to. In fact, Harry was not sure he _wanted _to read those mysterious pages. Would they hold information that would make his job harder?

Knowing he had to look sooner or later, Harry flipped to the unread pages.

Harry's future self wrote:

_I'm sorry this book seems so grim_,_ Harry. I live in grim times and it gets to you after awhile. I wish I could tell you everything that's going to happen. That would probably mess the future up more th_a_n fix it_,_ though. I know this must be frustrating for you_. _Frustrating is probably toning it down a bit. You have noticed that Dumbledore won't look at you anymore more_. _I know you still feel hurt about that. The grim truth is that there is more to worry about th_a_n a few hurt feelings. This is war, although you may not know it now. The adults are trying to keep you out of it_._ I don't blame them for it and neither should you. I know you want to help and fight, to protect you_r_ real family. You will have your chance; I wish we had had a better childhood and more time to grow up. I'm sorry to say that you don't have time to grow up. I bet I sound like some stern old man_,_ don't I? _

Harry grinned sadly at the book and continued reading.

_I guess I should stop droning and write some important stuff down. This is a handbook after all. This next thing does not directly involve the war, but it is important to me. _

Malfoy shifted in his spot and Harry's head jerked up. He watched as Malfoy settled into a more comfortable position before looking back at the book.

_Hug Remus and Sirius for me. _

Harry blinked in surprise. _What? _he thought. He could understand Sirius, but did Remus die as well?

_I never showed them how much they meant to me. Never got the chance to. The few times I saw Sirius were short and he was busy trying to make himself useful. So next time you see them, and hopefully it will be soon, hug them. You never know when you might get a chance to do it again; some people never get another chance. So love them while you can_,_ Harry, or you will wish you had done it later. _

The page ended there and Harry did not move to turn it. He had the sudden urge to hug someone. _Preferably Sirius or Remus, _Harry thought. He hardly had anybody left that cared for him. Sirius was the only adult who had shown a bit of care except for Mrs. Weasley. Harry was sure that Mrs. Weasley only did it because she felt sorry for him.

Remus was more like a friendly teacher to Harry than a friend. He liked the man and felt happy when he was around, but Remus was not a parent figure. He was not around enough to be one for Harry.

_I would still be--heartbroken if he died_,_ though_, Harry thought. He knew it was the truth when his heart literally hurt at the thought. Remus still had a life to live and Harry wanted to see if the man would ever get married.

Harry loved him, almost as much as Sirius. He knew that Sirius loved Remus like a brother. They were the only friends left for each other and if one were to die…. Harry sighed softly.

He did not know what he would do without Sirius. He was still hoping the man would let him stay with him. That idea was not looking to promising, though.

Harry did not know why that was either. Sirius wanted him to stay with him. Didn't he?

"What's the frown for, Potter?" Malfoy asked unexpectedly.

Jumping in surprise, Harry turned and looked at Malfoy with a frown. "No, I was just…thinking."

Harry knew he must of sounded weird for Malfoy stared at him. Wrinkles appeared on his forehead and his gaze trailed to the book grasped in Harry's hands. "What's that?"

Malfoy's voice was a little too casual. Harry was instantly on alert. "Just a book, written by a someone who was Muggle-raised. It's quite good…."

Nose crinkled in disgust, Malfoy sneered. "Anything written by _that filth_ would not interest me."

_Sure it wouldn't_,_ Malfoy, _Harry thought. The fact that he was tricking the Slytherin was funny to Harry. He wished he could tell his friends about it.

"But Malfoy, I was raised by Muggles. Don't you like _me_?" Harry asked. His innocent tone had Malfoy rolling his eyes but he did not reply.

Harry smirked to himself. Sometimes being an _almost _Slytherin had its good times. It was good that Malfoy had taken the bait; hopefully the blond would not bring up the book again.

Harry went back to his book hoping for some happier matieral to read. With all the grimness Harry wanted some good news. Having read most of the book, he did not have much hope.

_I realize now as I write the last few pages, that I have written nothing to inspire you. Everything written has been grimmer and sadder then Trel_a_wney_'_s prophec_ie_s. _

Harry smiled. _Great minds think alike, _he thought.

_There are some things that I could say to lighten your load. For example, Dudley will miss you when you leave the Dursleys. _

Harry froze in surprise. Dudley would miss _him? Are we both thinking of the same Dudley, _Harry wondered. Dudley Dursley hated him; he was Harry's childhood tormentor. Yet, Harry had just been told this by a man that would not lie about something like this.

He had no reason to, and Harry _wanted _to believe him. It was hard to believe but Harry did not really _know _Dudley. Maybe he was an okay guy

Harry snorted and decided that he was going crazy. _Ask Aunt Petunia about a trunk when you see her next, _future Harry wrote. _She will know what you mean. _Harry did not stop to think that over; he would know when he went back to the Dursleys.

_Spend some more time with Hermione_. Y_ou owe her a lot. She deserves some attention. _

Harry smiled, Hermione _did _deserve attention. Maybe he could do that now….

"Hey Malfoy, would you mind reading downstairs in the common room?"

………………………………...

A few minutes later, after physically wrestling Malfoy down the stairs, Harry was in the common room.

Hermione was the only one left besides Harry and Malfoy. Ron had been talking with the other boys in another dormitory and everyone else was also getting ready for bed.

Malfoy was reading a book as far away from Harry and Hermione as possible.

Hermione smiled at Harry right now and he grinned back. He was in the process of his first knitting lesson and Hermione was thrilled. Although the thing Harry was producing from his needles looked nothing like a hat, he was at least trying.

"That looks--brilliant Harry!" Hermione said. Harry had to respect her for trying not to laugh.

Harry held up the mess of tangled string humorously. "I feel sorry for the elf who wears this," he chuckled.

She laughed and Malfoy looked up, shook his head, and looked back down at the book. Harry grinned at Malfoy and traded a look with Hermione.

That night Harry slept well had no trouble clearing his mind.

**A/N: **There will be **TONS** of Severus soon. **Please review! **Is there hope for Harry and Draco? Or will they kill each other in the next chapter? Time to thank the reviewers.

**Silverthreads, La-p'tite-tete, **Thank you for reviewing. **Tambrathegreat, **Lol, so true. **Xenia Marvolo, **There will be some soon, thank you for reviewing! **EelvenGirl, Lina03, GinnysLove, **Cool, tell me if you see and penquins, lol. Love them. Thank you for taking the time to review! **Cap'n Stella, Blackrhino, Blue artemus, toolazytosighin, **Lol, great name. Thanks. **TerraFria, **I hope that is a good, 'not what I expected' lol. Thank you! **Nikkila, Lalalalala, **I think I mentioned you but I'm not sure. Thank you either way. **Harry.is.a.brave.fool, **Thank you for pointing that out. **Nobody's Child, French Shark, harryginny01, AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, wwwendy, **Yes, that would have been a good memory. **Anaknisatanas, **Hope? For Harry and Draco? …Maybe. Thank you.** Osireia, goldentree, **No more pranks, they will be busy hiding in the next chapter to think about pranks, (wicked smile) Thanks.


	14. Chapter 14: The Attack

It happened suddenly. The event was expected, but still came as a surprise to Harry. He was woken early in the morning by Professor McGonagall. The light only starting to shine through the windows.

"Wake up, Potter, Weasley, Finnigan! Up, up now!" McGonagall said in an alarmed tone. Harry blinked his eyes open confusedly. The sleep had been restful. Why was he being woken from it?

The professor looked to have dressed hurriedly and her normally neat bun was in disarray.

"What's the matter, professor?" Harry asked sleepily as he sat up. Looking around the room he saw Malfoy and the other boys getting up as well.

They all looked confused, Ron was clutching the sheets to his chest as he blinked rapidly.

"Voldemort is going to attack the school. We're evacuating the students. Get dressed now, Potter; we have but a short time." The words woke Harry up immediately and he stared after her retreating back.

Professor McGonagall moved out of the room and towards the common room, holding her robes up to avoid tripping as she hurried. Harry's roommates had frozen at McGonagall's words. Most were pale with fright.

Ron looked at Harry with undisguised fear before moving to get dressed. They were hasty and Seamus accidentally put on Neville's clothes. The Irish boy apologized to Neville, but did not bother to change because he was so frantic.

Harry realized that this was the reason Dumbledore had made him and Malfoy sleep in Gryffindor. The Headmaster had been expecting an attack.

Harry got up, joined them, and was ready to go in a matter of minutes. He shrunk his trunk and put it in his pocket. The other boys saw and did the same before they ran down the stairs. The common room was in chaos. Younger students were frightened and did not know what to do; older students were trying to control the younger students. They also looked scared witless, some looking ready to hyperventilate.

Harry caught a glimpse of Hermione trying to calm things down. She did not seem to be getting anywhere. "Students!" McGonagall called in an amplified voice and everyone quieted.

"I want you all in lines of two from the first years to the seventh years, now!" The students complied hurriedly and Harry jumped to get in place. "We are leaving the room and going down to my office in an _orderly_ fashion," McGonagall said sternly.

Malfoy jumped in line beside Harry, looking nervous. Their eyes met and Harry saw that Malfoy was just as scared as he was himself. They were led downstairs neatly but quickly.

Half way there, Harry a firm hand grabbed Harry's shoulder. He was pulled out of the line by Snape. Malfoy, held by the bond, stopped, too. "You are being sent to stay with your Muggle relatives, Potter," Snape said hurriedly as he glanced around.

Harry looked at the professor questioningly and the man spoke again. His words made Harry's blood run cold. "The headmaster believes that the attack may just be away to divert attention from your residence, Potter," Snape said heavily.

Malfoy gaped. "Then _why _are we being sent there!" The exasperated tone made Snape glare and Malfoy was subdued to silence.

"The Dursleys house is being watched closely by Order members. And there is protection over that house, shields cast by Dumbledore himself. They may try to attack but they will not breach the shield. Dumbledore has assured the order of this. If anything does happen, like they do attack. The Order has a counter-attack prepared, the neighboring houses will not be harmed. You _must _stay within the borders of the house, an attack is more likely if you are with their sight. Am I clear?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir, no one will reach us."

Snape nodded. "I want you, Potter, occluding to the best of your capabilities until these unexpected events are taken care of," Snape said. Both his heavy hands were laid on Harry's shoulders, his grasp tight but not hurtful. Harry found it oddly comforting if a bit strange. At this moment they were not foes; they were mentor and student both fighting for the same thing.

"I'll do my best and better, sir," Harry said truthfully. For a second Snape looked pleased, then his mask fell back in place.

_A spy is never to show his emotions, _Harry thought. Snape nodded to him. "Catch up with McGonagall, Potter, Malfoy." With that, he was gone.

They ran to McGonagall's office. The Floo was waiting for them, already lit and ready to transport the students.

"You will be sent immediately to a safe holding place where your parents will pick you up. I want two students in the Floo at a time," McGonagall said. The students started going through the Floo while McGonagall pulled Harry out of the line. Malfoy was pulled over as well, but he looked too worried to be irritated.

"I'm sending you and Mr. Malfoy through last. You will be going back to your aunt's house." Harry nodded in understanding.

"What about the animals, like Hedwig. What will happen to them?" he asked.

"They're all taken care of, Potter," she said with a pat to his hand before moving again.

"I don't want to go to a Muggle's house!" Malfoy said harshly to Harry.

"I don't either, Malfoy, but it's not our decision to make," Harry said and Malfoy gave him a puzzled look.

Harry gritted his teeth and turned away. The fourth years were going through the Floo now but it seemed to be going extremely slowly to Harry.

Mr. Weasley and Remus came into the office. The Weasley children ran to their father while Remus made his way to Harry.

He looked just like Harry remembered, maybe a little more serious then normal, but that was expected.

Remus did not even glance at as he smiled sadly at Harry. "Hey Remus," Harry said. Remus's arms engulfed him in a hug by his old professor. Harry sighed into the man's warm shoulder. Hadn't he wished for a hug just last night? Now he was getting one, if only it was under different circumstances.

"Sirius wanted to come, but Professor Dumbledore refused," Remus whispered.

Harry nodded. "I would rather him stay safe, anyway," he mumbled.

Remus let go of him and glanced at Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy," he said in greeting. Harry wondered if Dumbledore had told Remus about the bond. The werewolf did not seem surprised to see Malfoy.

Malfoy nodded back hesitantly but did not speak. Remus turned back to Harry. "I was wondering if I could borrow the map. It might come on handy if the castle walls are breached," he said.

Harry's eyes widened. He hoped it would not come to that but he would help anyway he could. "Of course," he exclaimed taking the shrunken trunk out of his pocket. Remus chuckled, seeing it.

"I'm glad you came prepared," he said as Harry dug the map out.

"Constant vigilance," he said with a grin and handed the map to Remus.

The man chuckled appreciatively. "Moody would be proud to hear you say that," he said before sighing. "Speaking of Moody, he's going to skin me alive if I don't get back. Take care, Harry," Remus said.

"I will, Remus. You do the same," Harry said and the man nodded before leaving.

"You're buddies with the werewolf?" Malfoy asked with a raised eyebrow. Harry glared at him and watched at the Weasleys were sent through the Floo without their father. They had been kept second to last. Hermione was already gone and Mr. Weasley left the room to join Remus.

Harry and Malfoy were left alone with McGonagall, who was gesturing them to come forward. "Come along, boys. We have to get you out of here," she said impatiently.

Harry and Malfoy were ushered into the Floo. "You might want Malfoy to hide under your Invisibility cloak, Mr. Potter. I don't think your relatives will be very gracious about having another wizard in their home," McGonagall said dryly.

Harry nodded and got the cloak out from his trunk.

Malfoy looked at it curiously before covering himself and disappearing. "Good. I'll see you both after we win the battle," McGonagall said with a rare smile.

The green flames engulfed them and they were on their way. A second later the fire deposited them onto the rug of the Dursleys' living room. Harry had landed awkwardly, but heard Malfoy stepping out of the fire gracefully.

"Don't say a word," Harry growled quietly. He could tell Malfoy was smirking, although he could not see him.

_It's a good thing Uncle Vernon left the fireplace alone after that incident with the Weasleys, _Harry thought. His relatives seemed to be away. They would have heard the sound of the Floo, but no one came.

Malfoy had come to the same conclusion. "Where are the Muggles?" he asked.

"Out, I guess," Harry said with a shrug.

He was glad that the Dursleys were not home. It made it easier to dump his stuff in his room and hide Malfoy. Harry knew that Malfoy was going to find out how bad his relatives were, and it would probably be soon. Sure, Malfoy had seen his memories, but seeing memories and witnessing the way they acted firsthand was different. Malfoy had not acted really badly about Harry's relatives; a few taunts were nothing compared to some of his other remarks.

Harry wondered if Malfoy just did not care or if he felt sorry for him. The black-haired boy did not want pity; he was more used to disdainfulness and people ignoring him.

_Hopefully the battle at Hogwarts will be over with soon and I can get him out of here, _Harry thought. Malfoy had taken off the cloak and hung it on his shoulder like a cape. He moved to look at the pictures that littered every surface. Petunia was very proud of her family, or at least the ones that were Muggles.

Malfoy was staring in distaste at a picture of Dudley. It was a recent picture and Dudley was sitting on his new bicycle.

Harry shifted uncomfortable. The Dursleys could walk in any moment and their reaction to Malfoy was not something Harry wanted the blond the see.

"Let's put our stuff upstairs," Harry said. "I don't know when they'll be back."

Malfoy frowned and moved toward the kitchen without answering. Harry sighed and followed before the bond could pull him.

His tormentor was looking around in wary curiosity. "I though Muggles were _disgusting _and _vile,_" Harry said sarcastically.

Malfoy snorted. "They are, but if I'm going to stay here I want to know where everything is--what is that!"

Harry rolled his eyes. Malfoy's awe was inspired by a vacuum Petunia had probably been using on the carpet earlier. It was sitting in the corner and Malfoy looked at it, distrusting the Muggle invention.

Harry stepped over to it with Malfoy following. Standing next to Harry, Malfoy looked the machine over. "It's hideous," he said bluntly. At that moment, Harry turned the vacuum on.

The loud whirring sound made Malfoy jump. "Stop it!" he exclaimed and Harry did so, laughing the whole time.

"It's a vacuum, Malfoy. It cleans carpets and is usually loud," Harry said cheerfully.

"That was rude, Potter." Harry smiled and moved out of the kitchen.

"You were asking for it," he said, climbing the stairs.

The locks on Harry's bedroom door were still there. Harry tried not to look at them as he opened the door but Malfoy was openly staring at them. "You uh…like your privacy, Potter?" he asked. Harry did not say anything for a moment, his hand still on the doorknob.

"The locks are to keep me in, not the other way around," he said before entering.

The room was just like Harry remembered it: a small twin-sized bed which his feet hung over, dirty walls, and no furniture except for a desk and wobbly chair.

The light that hung from the ceiling was almost dead. Harry knew this and just left it off, the light coming through the windows was enough for now.

Harry moved to look out of the window for a second. The yard was the same. Nothing changed on Privet Drive.

Malfoy was staring around the room. Everything was studied for a moment, Harry sat on the bed and waited. The grey eyes moved over Dudley's crayon markings that littered the walls. They had been there for years; Petunia had not bothered to remove them once Harry moved in. He was not worth the trouble, or so she said.

"How long must I stay in this dump," Malfoy drawled as he looked under the bed coming up with a sick expression. "There is at least an inch of dust and dirt on the floor," he said slowly.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Your point?"

"I'm not staying here; can't you find me another room? You sleep next door, right? I can sleep with you," Malfoy said sounding flustered and on the verge of a fit.

Harry blinked and laughed. "This _is _my bedroom, Malfoy. Who did you think slept here?"

Malfoy looked around the room again. "The servants?" he guessed, a then a look of comprehension spread over his face--a look that was more for himself than Harry.

"Muggles don't usually have servants unless they're really wealthy, like royalty," Harry explained slowly. _Although, sometimes I _am _the servant around here, _Harry thought. He was not going to share that thought with Malfoy, though. If it was not for the bond, Harry's secrets would be known halfway around the world.

"I hope we don't have to stay here long, Potter. You may be used to living the Muggle lifestyle, but I am not." Looking around the room Malfoy made a face. "Hopefully I will _never _live like a Muggle," he said with an artificial shudder.

Harry took his trunk out, frowning as he realized he could not un-shrink it. "You can look at the other rooms if you're curious, just get back in here quick if you hear a car."

Puzzled, Malfoy opened his mouth but closed it, sighing. He left leaving Harry alone for the moment. Malfoy was not far, less than ten feet away but it was a little bit of privacy for Harry.

He took the moment to lie down on the bed and curl up slightly. It was slightly cold in the room with the air conditioning on. Harry wrapped his arms around himself shivering momentarily and the cool matieral brushed his skin. A rumbling sound from his stomach made Harry groan. At least Malfoy had not heard his stomach, that would have been embarrassing.

_Why didn't I unshrink my trunk before getting in the Floo?_ Harry sighed to himself. He would have to steal some food from the kitchen. The Dursleys would probably be too mad to feed him once they found out he had returned.

Harry closed his eyes with a sigh. Right now at least he could _try _to relax, if only for a moment. Closing his eyes felt wonderful and he wished he could sleep having been woken up early.

"Your cousin's room is next to yours?" Malfoy asked from the doorway. Harry did not sit up to answer. "Yes."

Malfoy came into the room again. Harry's Invisibility cloak was still hanging on his shoulder. Harry watched him through half-open lids; he wanted to take his cloak back but knew that Malfoy would need it.

Malfoy risked sitting in the chair and it creaked warningly. Harry's lips turned up in a half smile. The sound of a car coming up the road made Harry still and Malfoy look around.

"What's--" Harry cut him off with a quick "Shh!"

They waited in silence as the car got nearer and then turned up the driveway of number four. "Wonderful." Harry sighed and stood.

The Dursleys were home. It was time for Harry to go downstairs and meet them. He knew they would not welcome him. He just hoped Malfoy would not memorize everything that would go on.

Malfoy had heard the fron door open and flung the cloak over his body. "Come on," Harry muttered. "Keep quiet. One peep and we're doomed."

Harry heard the flutter of matieral as Malfoy stood and he bit his lip.Taking a deep breath, Harry turned and made his way down the srtairs.

Petunia saw him first from her place next to the door. "Ahhh!" she shrieked in surprise. Uncle Vernon spun around from his place in the hallway to see what the commotion was for.

"Potter!" Vernon spat angrily his face turning pink. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to stay in that _freak _school until summer. That's at least a month away!"

Harry bit his lip again to hold back any anger. If he kept going like this, he would chew his lip right off. "The school is under attack. If everything goes well I should only be here for a day or two," he said evenly.

"Under attack…?" Petunia questioned, looking reluctantly curious.

Vernon lifted his head. "By that Moldywarts fellow?" he asked stiffly.

Harry coughed into his hand to try and hide the snort of laughter from Malfoy. "Yeah, him," he said, his voice a little too loud.

Petunia pursed her lips and looked around. _Probably making sure all the windows are closed, _Harry thought irritably.

"Well, I agree with him," Vernon said. "That place should come to ruins. In fact, I hope it does," he said decidedly.

Harry closed his eyes momentarily. "You would not be so eager if you knew what he was like. He hates Muggles. If he wins this war all of you will all die--"

"Are you threatening me, boy!" Vernon had breached pink and was verging on purple as he swelled up in anger.

"No!" Harry said in exasperation.

That did not calm Vernon, though. "Don't you dare scream at _me!_" he yelled. With that statement he marched toward Harry and grabbed the teen by his arm.

"Vernon, not so loud!" Petunia hissed looking worried as she glanced between Harry and her husband.

Wrenching Harry's arm, Vernon pulled him up the stairs ranting all the while. "We brought you in against our better judgement, fed you, clothed you, and gave you a place to sleep. Now you treat us like _this_! You had better be glad I'm a good man, Potter, or I would of beat you till you bled _years _ago!"

Harry gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the harsh words. They had reached Harry's bedroom door and Vernon threw it open, tossing Harry inside.

His back crashed into the bed frame, causing pain to sear across through Harry. Vernon shut the door behind him and stepped into the room. The heavy man made his way toward the wary teen.

Vernon grabbed his collar. His uncle's angry face filled Harry's vision and he was slammed agaist the wall as he glared at Vernon.

"Don't you look at me like that," he shouted, slamming Harry into the wall again. "You will respect me boy for all I've done for you and everything I have not done…yet. If you cause us any trouble, I'll have a belt against your back before you can speak."

With that, he let go of Harry. The teen fell against the wall and watched as his uncle left stepped toward the door. "I want you out of those freaky clothes. Put on the clothes we gave you, boy. And don't expect any food. Stay here and be quiet. Maybe we will decide you deserve something," Vernon said.

He left the room slamming the door behind him. Knowing that the man would leave him alone for a while, Harry sunk to the floor.

_It could have been worse, _Harry thought as he rubbed his aching arm. The air shimmered in front of him and Harry jerked as Malfoy pulled the cloak off.

Scowling at him, Harry stood. "A little warning would have been nice." Malfoy did not speak but sat on the bed, watching Harry.

Harry ran a hand through his hair looking around for something to break the uncomfortable silence. "I hope you're not hungry. I won't be able to get a hold on some food until night," Harry said, looking sorry.

Malfoy shrugged. "Not really…how long do you think they will withhold food from you?"

"It depends on how mad they are," Harry said, sitting on the bed beside Malfoy. Malfoy seemed a little surprised that Harry would sit next to him without being forced to, but he did not move away.

"It's usually a day, and if they are really mad, two days," he said with a shrug.

Malfoy blinked. "They do this often?" he asked sounding disbelieving.

"They have--short tempers."

At the dry chuckle, Harry frowned. He was sitting in his room with none other then Draco Malfoy. Someone had a sense of humor, and Harry did not appreciate it.

Malfoy took out his miniature trunk, placed it at his feet and snapped his fingers. It returned to its full size making Harry yelp to Malfoy's amusement.

"If they decide to starve you--" Malfoy started to say.

"Not starve," Harry mumbled.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "If they decide the hold back food until you eat your shoe, then _maybe_ I'll share my stash with you," he said.

Harry perked up perceptibly. "Your stash?" he questioned curiously.

Malfoy nodded. "Not a lot of food mind you, so don't dive in if it comes to that," he said warningly. "I must be crazy for even considering sharing with you," Malfoy shook his head.

Harry did not reply. Malfoy was actually being decent; he was scared that if he opened his mouth he might say the wrong thing. Then he could say 'bye bye' to Malfoy's stash.

The sound of the front door opening and closing with a bang made Harry sit up straighter. "I'm home," Dudley yelled from the hallway down stairs. There was a lot of talking and Harry could make out that they were going to eat lunch in the kitchen before he stopped listening.

He turned to see Malfoy ready to throw the cloak over himself if needed. "Dudley doesn't come up here a lot," he said reassuringly.

Malfoy nodded and put the cloak back in his lap running the material through his fingers. "I used to really want one of these," he said quietly. "Where did you get it?"

"Heirloom," Harry said. "It was my father's." Malfoy stood and went over to the window, leaving the cloak on thr bed. "We've only been here for a few hours and I'm already bored out of my skull," he moaned. Malfoy spun around, "What do you do when youtr stuck here in the summer? Are you stuck in your room a lot?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm sorry to say that there is really nothing to do around here."

Malfoy sneered at him. "You just _sit _here all _day_?"

Harry tilted his head to the side in mock thought, "Yep," he said with a grin. Malfoy grumbled something and Harry lay back down. It was going to be a _long _day.

**A/N: **The wards go around the Dursleys house and about halfway into their yard. Or at least, that is what it will be in this story. Please review, I gave you a pretty fast update so tell me if you liked it please.

**goldentree, love12, **Thanks bunches! **FlightyFuschia, **Thank you so much! I was really worried about how I was handling Harry and Draco's relationship. **Snapesthe1, lalalalala, blue artemus, Curalium Lacrimo, Silverthreads, BDSanta2001, tambrathegreat, **I can not believe she killed Tonks and Remus, it was sad to have another orphaned character. **Murgy31, Mulatdood, anaknisatanas, La-p'tite-tete, **That probably was a little weird for a teenage boy. It's more so the fact that he was willing to try to knit and sit for an hour or two with Hermione then actually learning how to knit. A friendship thing. **fattoad, DeathGodGirl, **Lol, they are sharp aren't they? I almost skewered myself once. **AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, harry.is.a.brave.fool, **You will have to wait a couple of chapters but there will be mlore of our favorite potions master to come. **mdemp92, hobesan, **It was more for show and spit then anything else. There will be mentions of it later. **mayatrau, **I'm not sure about that but here is a fast update to hold you over. **A-zla, **That would be great. They have to get back to Hogwarts first though. **EelvenGirl, Camille, **Wow, thank you so much and I would be exultant if you decided to become a regular reviewer! I do have a beta but I'll keep the offer in mind. I'm glad it's different from the other stories you have read, thanks.


	15. Chapter 15: Draco and the Dursleys

After an hour of Harry feigning sleep and Malfoy pacing the room, the blond finally settled down. Malfoy sighed. From his spot on the bed, Harry's lips turned up in a half smile.

"Wipe that expression off your face, Potter before I do it with my fist!" Malfoy snarled and then threw open his trunk with unneeded force.

He took out a book and sat on the rickety chair. Harry had even less to do. Usually he would just sit and think when he was alone at the Dursley's.

_There were so many things to think over now… __So how come I can't concentrate on them? _Harry wondered.

Was it because of Malfoy's silent presence? Even though he hardly made any noise, Harry was very aware of him being there. It was disturbing. He felt like he was being scrutinized, like everything he did would be noted. _Why oh _why _did Dumbledore have to send me here with Malfoy! _Harry thought exasperatedly.

Surly the man could have broken the bond just for the day._ What is so important about us learning how to--_Harry frowned--_get along with each other? _

_Or is there something more to it? _

Harry did not get time to think that over for footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs.

Malfoy threw the cloak back over himself, but that did not make Harry relax. No one is this house was friendly with him. If any one of them came in, it would just be to anger him.

_It sounds like Dudley or Vernon, _Harry thought. Every stair complained under this person's weight, but with Petunia, you sometimes did not even know she was outside the door.

Harry was sure that Dudley or Vernon would pass his room. Besides banging on the door to surprise him, they usually left him alone.

To his slight surprise and horror, the footsteps stopped at his door. Harry sat up, glancing over at Malfoy sitting on the rickety chair. He was well covered but one small noise could give away his position.

The door opened. Harry watched as Dudley looked at him from the doorway cautiously.

Dudley bit his lip then, seeming to take a deep breath, opened the door all the way and stepped in. His eyes quickly trailed over everything in the room which admittedly was not much.

Done surveying the room and reassuring himself that nothing magical was going to jump up and bite him, Dudley turned to Harry. "Hey?" he said warily trading his weight from one foot to the other. He somehow managed to make the casual greeting into a question.

Harry blinked. _Hey? What is he playing at, _Harry wondered cautiously.

Watching his cousin warily Harry answered. "Hay's for horses," he said.

Dudley blinked and then _smiled. _It was a small smile, but it did not hold any menace. Those were the only smiles Harry had really seen on Dudley's face. To see a real one surprised Harry.

"What are you doing?" Dudley asked, looking around the room.

"Er…nothi--" Harry's stuttered reply was cut off.

"What happened to your trunk?" Dudley asked his eyebrows creased as he stared at Malfoy's trunk. Harry's eyes widened and he tried to hide his expression.

"Oh, um. Mine broke so I bought a new one," Harry said nodding as he spoke.

Dudley looked at him curiously. "Couldn't you have just used your--" Dudley looked around then spoke quietly, "magic?"

For once Harry decided that Dudley may have been smarter than what he gave him credit for. "Well…I just wanted new one," Harry said lamely.

Dudley looked like he was trying to keep the suspicious expression off his face. He was not doing a good job. Harry stood up, looking around the room. Maybe he could divert his cousin's attention.

His cousin came over to look at the trunk more closely. "Those aren't your initials," he said. Dudley straightened up from where he had been leaning over. "Why didn't you get your initials typed into your trunk like the last one?"

"I just didn't. Those letters are just short for the place where I bought the trunk at," Harry said casually.

"What's the name of the place where you bought it at?" Dudley asked.

There was silence for a moment. "I don't know. A friend bought it for me; I'd have to ask them."

Dudley looked at him for a minute. "Hhhmm," he said before looking around the room again.

Harry only barely managed not to swipe his forehead. He could feel a bead of sweat roll down his face and into his ear. Wiping it away casually, Harry sat back on the bed.

"Was there something you came in here for?" Harry asked his voice tight.

Dudley bit his lip. A weird thing for Harry to see, because his cousin never seemed nervous unless he was near a witch or wizard. And to Dudley, Harry did not always count as a wizard, just his wimpy cousin.

"I just decided to drop in. There's nothing else to do around here anyway," Dudley grumbled.

"Already beat up all the kids in the neighborhood?" Harry asked sarcastically.

Dudley frowned. "You shouldn't judge people on their past. I'm sure you would not want people to do that to you."

Harry gaped at him. "That's not the past Dudders, that's like five months ago!"

Crossing his arms Dudley stared at him. "It's long enough to be the past," he argued. "And I have not beat up anybody since those…things came after us."

Harry knew what Dudley was talking about and shivered. He hated the Dementors.

"Are--you scared of them as well?" Dudley asked quietly. Harry looked at him. His cousin was not mocking, just curious.

Harry nodded. "I'm scared of what they represent."

When Dudley just looked confused, Harry told him. "Fear."

Dudley came over and sat on the bed as well. It sank under his weight, making Harry reposition himself.

"You're scared of fear?" his cousin said slowly. He did not seem to understand but Harry nodded, scowling.

"How can you be scared of--being scared of something?" Dudley asked incredulously with a half smile.

Harry shrugged crossing his arms and frowning. "The Dementors _are _fear. They take your worst memories or…it doesn't even have to be a memory. Whatever you fear, even if you have never seen it, they'll make you think of it."

Dudley was not smiling anymore. "Do they kill or just scare you?"

"First they reduce you to a scared, whimpering, ball. _Then, _they suck your soul out." Harry said.

"That's not funny," Dudley said, looking ay his feet and frowning.

Harry narrowed his eyes, "What makes you think I'm joking? They do exactly what I'm telling you Dudley."

Swallowing Dudley ran his hand over the smooth wood of the trunk. It was right in front of his feet. "I just…how come nobody's killed off those things?"

Harry shrugged, "The guard the wizard prison Azkaban, we need them…I guess."

Dudley frowned but did not say anything else. He opened the trunk and Harry made a protesting sound. He moved to close it; Malfoy would _hate _it if they went through his stuff.

Harry had forgotten about the aristocrat. He was probably watching them angrily; Harry would never hear the end of it.

"Let's leave that stuff alone. Okay?" Harry said trying to take the book from Dudley's hands. Dudley looked at him weirdly. "I'm just looking, and I'm not going to rip it to pieces. I promise."

Harry frowned. "Come on Dudley, just leave my stuff alone."

Dudley was not listening; he looked at the title of the book. "_How to Look Magnificent…Anytime and Anywhere._" Harry's cousin stared at the book and then looked at Harry.

Harry chuckled weakly. "It's a joke between me and my friends…funny huh?"

Dudley shrugged. "I'm just curious about you. What else do you have in here?"

Before Harry could stop him, Dudley had reached in--and pulled out a pair of boxers. Harry could not help it, he laughed. The green, silk boxers had 'Slytherin' written across them in silver.

"Ew!" Dudley said with a disgusted expression and threw the boxers on the bed. "What's Slytherin?"

Harry stood up, pushed the trunk to the corner of the room and sat on it. "For your information, it's a house in my school. The students are sorted into houses. Slytherin is a house."

"And you're in Slytherin?" Dudley asked. Harry should have seen this question coming, but he didn't.

"Um…no." He stuttered uncomfortable. "What's for lunch?"

Dudley snickered. "We already had lunch, dumb butt. What house are you in?"

Harry blushed slight and frowned. "I'm in Gryffindor. Could you leave please? I want to go back and do nothing."

"How do you get sorted?" Dudley asked standing.

"Ugh!" Harry moaned in irritation. "We fight trolls," he snapped remembering what the Weasleys twins had told Ron a few years ago.

Dudley still had his mouth open in awe at the prospect when Harry shoved him out of the room. He heard his cousin mutter something and go to his room. Sighing, Harry leaned against the door. His hand coming up to run through his hair.

Seeing Malfoy's book on the bed, Harry could not help but laugh. With a fluttering sound, Malfoy removed the cloak. "Shut _up, _Potter!" he hissed angrily.

Coming over, he grabbed the book and boxers protectively and hid them back in his trunk. "Going through my things…filthy, muggle hands touching my stuff," he muttered.

Harry snickered, "_How to Look Magnificent…Anytime and Anywhere_?" He shook his head in disbelief, "How vain can you get, Malfoy?"

Malfoy sneered. "Just because I take care of myself, does not mean I'm vain." He said it with a disgusted look at Harry's untidy hair and overlarge Muggle clothes.

Harry rolled his eyes and look around the room. At that moment Dudley turned no his radio. Loud pop music made the windows rattle and Malfoy muffled a scream of surprise.

Harry raised an eyebrow, which made Malfoy blush slightly.

A few hours later Harry got an owl.

_Harry,_

_Everybody is fine; the attack was not as large as what Dumbledore expected. Hogwarts took some damage but it will be taken care of and you can come back the day after tomorrow. Don't bother sending a reply._

_With love, _

_Remus_

Harry sighed in relief while Malfoy watched him curiously. "No one was hurt. Someone will pick us up the day after tomorrow," he said shortly.

Malfoy snarled at the thought of having to spend another day on the Muggle house. Night came slowly for the two boys. When it did, though, Malfoy got excited.

"All right, Potter, you said you could get us something to eat once it got dark. Your relatives have eaten and now I want to do the same," Malfoy said crossing his arms.

Rolling his eyes, Harry stood. "First of all, lower your voice. Second, wait a while longer. I want them asleep."

Grumbling, Malfoy sat on the bed, crossing his arms petulantly. Harry grinned at Malfoy's attitude. It did not bother him as much as it amused him.

Loud snores could be heard from Dudley's room a few minutes later. Harry got up and Malfoy sat up and watched him.

Going over to the window, Harry carefully and quietly opened it. "_What _are you _doing_?" Malfoy whispered in alarm.

"Going to get food. I'll be right back," Harry said.

As he moved out the window he heard Malfoy drawl, "He's crazy. Absolutely insane!"

What Malfoy did not know, was that Harry had done this many times before. There was a hardy trellis outside his window. Carefully, and with squishing the morning glories, Harry climbed down to the ground.

Smiling, he looked up in time to see Malfoy stick his head out of the window and stare down at Harry. "I hope you know what you're doing, Potter," Malfoy said quietly.

Going to the back door, Harry found the emergency key hiding in the flower plant hanging next to the door. He was not supposed to know it was there. The Dursleys thought he would tell his freaky friends or something of the sort.

Quietly, Harry entered the house. The only sound he could hear was the clothes dryer in a room next the the back door. The floor did not creak under his bare feet; he had taken his shoes off sometime before.

Making his way to the kitchen, Harry shut the swinging door. He turned on the light flinching it hurt his eyes. Harry waited for them to adjust before moving to the cabinet.

This food-based escapade would take longer that usual. He had to get more food. _And Malfoy's not going to be happy with crackers, _Harry thought.

The Sytherin would most likely turn his nose up at anything Harry brought back up, though. _Let's see, I can bring the peanut butter, jam and some bread…._ Harry thoughts trailed off as he gathered those items and a few others. He was ready to leave when he paused.

_Malfoy's probably not about to eat peanut butter with his hands, _Harry thought with a grin. He grabbed some knifes and a few paper plates that Petunia had out. She preferred using them to her fancy plates. The fewer dishes to wash, the better. All the food was held rather precariously in his arms as he barely managed to turn the light off and go back to his bedroom.

The Dursleys would probably notice that his bedroom door was unlocked but Harry doubted they would say anthing about it. They did not want to know.

Harry placed some of his load down quietly. Any sound the glass made against the wooden floor was covered up by Dudley. Someone _really _needed to turn that kid over on his side or something.

Harry heard Malfoy covering himself with the cloak when he opened the door. It took some time; there _were _a lot of locks on the door.

"It's just me," Harry whispered as he came into the room. Dumping the items on the bed as quietly as possible, Harry went back to the door for the rest of the stuff.

Malfoy was sitting on the bed studying the label on the jam jar. "What am I supoposed to do with _this _Potter? Glue tiles the the floor?"

Harry blinked, "No, honey," he said in a motherly tone, "you're supposed to _eat _it. You know how to eat right? Or do I need to feed you?"

Malfoy shook his head and stared at him. "You are so weird, Potter."

"I'm weird and yet he doesn't know what jam is," Harry muttered to himself.

If Malfoy heard he did not bother to reply. Harry took the food and set it up on his table.

"This is all you got, Potter?" His grumpy, whiny voice grated on Harry's nerves.

"You can eat it or shut up. I prefer the second. Then there will be more for me." Harry's words were met with a frown. Malfoy sighed, like he was giving into something terrible.

"Won't your relatives notice this missing?" Malfoy asked. Harry froze, they probably would notice. It was too late now though, maybe he could return the items later.

"How…do I eat this?" he asked with a grimace holding up the loaf of bread still in its bag.

Barily refraining from rolling his eyes, Harry patiently taught Malfoy how to make a PB&J.

**A/N: **Draco and the Dursleys are not a good mix. And yet, I would love to place them in a room together, (evil laugh). The future is grim. Does Draco seem OOC a lot? Time to thank the reviewers!

**harry.is.a.brave.fool, **Thank you! **TerraFria, **Lol, chasing Draco with the vacuum, what fun! **Mulatdood, **(winces) I'll try and keep it believable. **blue artimis, firsttimewriter, AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, **(giggles gleefully) I really made you like Draco? Wow, thank you. I'm not sure how though, lol. **Sonseeahray, La-p'tite-tete, **Thank you for reviewing!** Tambrathegreat, fattoad, BDSanta2001, charmedgrl4ever, **Thank you, it's fun to mess with their personalities, lol. Make them surprised anf what not. **Snapesthe1, Mystery gal, **Yes, I wanted just Scorpia but some one already had it, (pouts) Thank you for reviewing! **GinnysLove, **Hehe, I was chaneling you, 'come read the chapter, ohhhhh!' lol. **EelvenGirl, **(Says in a singsong voice) I'll never tell. **misfit2008, **I'm glad you are hooked, lol. Here is your chapter. **mayatrau, **They have gotten a bit shorter, sorry. **Chippendaleduo, **Lol, glad you like it. I like your pen name as well.


	16. Chapter 16: The Second Attack

Even though he did it with a pout, Malfoy did eat his sandwich. In addition, Harry was sure that Malfoy liked it. A curious expression come over his face. It disappeared as soon as he saw Harry watching him.

A teasing smile from Harry made Malfoy scowl and push the Gryffindor roughly.

"You had better hope I don't have to eat this again, Potter," Malfoy said while pointing a finger in warning at Harry's face.

Harry laughed aloud when Malfoy grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. "You're a right idiot," Malfoy grumbled with a sandwich in one hand and another pillow in the other.

He hit Harry with the pillow one, twice and three times before stopping. Harry found he did not mind. It had not hurt and the small grin on Malfoy's face showed him that he was not serious.

The light banter and cheerful feeling in the room disappeared as the sound of someone getting out of bed startled them. Shooting a startled glance at Harry, Malfoy grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and threw it over his head.

Harry threw himself down on the bed right before his bedroom door flew open.

Vernon stood there dresses in a housecoat and, surprisingly enough, did not look like he had just woken up. There had been more than one time where Uncle Vernon interrupted Harry's nightmaresfrom screaming at him to slapping him once or twice to wake him up.

Although he had not been woken by a nightmare this time but by him talking to Malfoy. Harry was used to seeing the man standing there, blinking sleep out of his eyes and complaining about how Harry had woken him.

The man was wide awake as he looked around the room and then at Harry. "Who were you talking to, boy?" His demanding question made Harry blink.

"I was talking to myself. Sorry that I woke you," Harry mumbled ashamedly. Vernon came over and like Harry expected, slapped him on the head.

"I'll have a list for you to finish, boy. You'll be so tired there will be no way you won't sleep," Vernon said gruffly. He seemed to think for a moment, going still and silent before speaking in firm words. "I won't wake up to you screaming or talking to yourself anymore, boy. If I have to work you _all _day, I will make sure you stop waking me up." Harry blushed at the words.

_I don't scream _that _much, _he thought with an embarrassed glance in Malfoy's direction.

"I've made you go without food--" it was then that Vernon saw the food lying around the room and Malfoy's half eaten sandwich lying on the bed and dripping jam. His eyes widened with shock and then narrowed in fierce anger. Vernon started breathing heavily as he turned and stared at Harry. Gulping, Harry waited for the explosion sure to come.

"You have _food _after we locked you in here for punishment?" Vernon growled.

Harry frowned. "Punishment for what?" he asked and then winced. It was best to keep his thoughts to himself when Vernon was like this.

"You are disrespectful, lazy, a liar, and unworthy of what me and Petunia have done for you!" Vernon raged throwing his hands in the air. "And to top it off, you come back each year acting more freaky and disobedient. We tried our best to beat the freakiness out of you and I still think it would work."

Vernon grabbed the leftover of the sandwich and threw it at Harry's head. Ducking, Harry barely missed it but it slammed into the wall behind him where it stuck to the wall. "You keep going back there each year and you'll end up dead, just like your parents or worse. But do you care? No!"

Vernon punched Harry and the clumsy shot grazed the side of his head.

It did not hurt very much, but Harry's head rung slightly and by the time, it had stopped, Vernon had left, slamming the door behind him.

Malfoy waited a few minutes before taking off the cloak.

"That was _your _fault, Potter. If you weren't such a big mouth…" he whispered but his voice was not scornful. Malfoy seemed uncomfortable; he hesitated before sitting on the bed on the other side of Harry.

"He made it seem like you wake him up every other night," Malfoy said slowly. Harry immediately felt on guard. If Malfoy decided, it was time to try to knock him down a notch, Harry would have to stop himself from lashing out.

"Yeah," Harry said slowly shifting his position warily. "He's got a--a short temper."

Malfoy snorted. "You've already used that explanation, Potter. It seemed like he had a hippogriff up his arse to me."

Harry stared. Rolling his eyes, Malfoy explained. "He only started ranting because you apparently keep waking him up with screaming or talking to yourself." Harry looked away from Malfoy.

Malfoy continued. "It's obvious he's a right idiot, and not fit to be a guardian for anyone."

There was a tinge of pink on Malfoy's face as he talked on a low voice. Blinking, Malfoy licked his lips while staring at the opposite wall.

With a sigh, he turned to Harry. "When I saw your memories earlier this year--I thought the whole thing might have been set up by Dumbledore or someone else who loves to shove the spotlight on you," Malfoy said reluctantly. "It would make sense. The papers would pay a heavy price for a dramatic story about the Boy-Who-Lived. When things get calm someone just has to stir up some drama. Usually it's Dumbledore or you," Malfoy said with a sneer.

Harry listened intently.

Malfoy paused. Only the sounds of crickets and Dudley snoring broke the silence.

"I see now that it was not some show for publicity." He words were slow and Malfoy seemed to have trouble saying them. Harry would have found that funny if he were not so shocked.

_Malfoy is admitting to being wrong_,Harry thought dazedly.

"Your uncle seemed pretty serious to me, and you seemed really wary of your cousin," Malfoy said while looking at the PB&J sandwich, which was sliding down the wall.

"In that memory when you were outside and it was snowing…did they leave you outside all night or was it just a joke?" Malfoy asked turning to Harry.

"No, they left me out there," Harry mumbled and looked at Malfoy wondering why he was asking. Was the teen really just curious?

"Did they do that often?"

Harry shook his head. "Naw, it only happened maybe four times and that was the only time it was cold out. I got sick and they weren't pleased," Harry said with grim humor.

Malfoy frowned at the wall as if he could see Harry's relatives. "That was their own fault for leaving a kid in the snow," Malfoy grumbled.

"It's not like I was hurt or anything, I was cold but I did not lose my toes to frostbite," Harry said in amusement, not understanding Malfoy's irritation with his relatives.

Malfoy did not understand _him_,though, or so said the expression he shot at Harry. "They left you in the snow, Potter, at a young age and vulnerable," Malfoy said to him like Harry was still that same little child. "Aren't you mad about that? I would be; I'd have their worthless heads on a platter."

Harry shivered at the metal image he received at Malfoy's words. "I'm not that vicious, and besides, that was a long time ago. I can barely remember it, so why would I want to go and punish them for some things that happened years ago?" Harry said with a shrug.

Malfoy frowned, moved up the bed and lay down on his back with his hand folded over his stomach. Harry watched him for a moment and then did the same. They were both lying on the edge of a side of the bed to stay as far away from each other as possible.

"You said 'some things,' Potter. What else happened that they need to be forgiven for?"

Harry felt irritated at himself and Malfoy; he _did not want _to talk about his relatives bad sides. "Why do you have to be so-so--?"

"Handsome?"

Harry made a gagging sound. "Eww, no, no, NO. Why are you so nitpicky and have to know everything? If I was at _your _house I would not question all of your parent's actions."

Malfoy sighed. "I like to understand people's actions, Potter. Their motivations--that means the reason why they do stuff, just in case you don't know," he said teasingly.

Harry rolled his eyes but refrained from punching the git.

"Right now I'm just curious as to what else you have gone through that was not right," Malfoy said. "And besides, what else are we going to do?"

"Sleep, you idiot."

Malfoy grinned. Harry could hear it in his next words. "Are you sure you _can _sleep? Your uncle seemed to think you can't do that without having nightmares."

Harry sighed through his nose.

"How about I try, okay?" There was only a snicker in response so Harry rolled over so that his back faced Malfoy.

"Goodnight, Potter," Malfoy said in a moment.

Harry yawned, suddenly feeling tired. "Night, Malfoy."

………………………………

"The attempt to over take Hogwarts was not successful," Voldemort's said in a low voice. "Would any of you like to tell me why?"

Harry found that he had feet and turned to see Death Eaters shifting uncomfortable as they looked at the ground. Their master stood on a raised platform and paced gracefully in front of a high backed chair.

No one dared to talk. The Dark Lord did not take failure lightly and punishment was sure to come to those who confessed they might have been responsible for the failed attempt.

"Severus," Harry started as one Death Eater straightened up and waited for the axe to fall. Harry found that he feared for the spy. He never appreciated how much Snape put on the line for any information he could gather. Would he be punished now just because Voldemort was not pleased with him?

"I feel as though you did not try very hard to keep Potter at Hogwarts," said Voldemort's disappointed voice.

"Master, can we not just attack Potter while he stays with his relatives?" Bellatrix's eager voice asked.

Voldemort snartled angrily. "_Crucio_," he hissed and watched contentedly as his most loyal servent withered.

He took the spell off and turned to sit in his throne,-like chair.

"Potter's house is protected securely with both wards and Aurors. I have already considered that action, Bella, and turned it down. Potter will fall with time along with Dumbledore," Voldemort said easily as he stared at a spot over his followers heads.

His red eyes half closed and a feral smile twisted his lips.

………………………………

Harry woke up gasping and was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Malfoy stared at him curiously_._ "You forgot to occlude," he said reproachfully.

Harry frowned_._ "You are supposed to help me practice and you forgot." The light coming through the window told him that it was morning.

Malfoy looked away almost guiltily as he sat up. "What was that about?" He looked around the room and rubbed the back of his neck with a pained expression.

_Should I tell him? _Harry wondered. "Just a nightmare," he said aloud. Malfoy may not have been the exact same git he was a week ago_,_ but he was stil the son of a Death Eater. _Moreover, he will be loyal to his family, _Harry thought.

From what Malfoy had been telling him last night, Harry figured that he thought family was important. Whatever Malfoy's parents wanted him to do_,_ he would probably do it. Even if that meant following Voldemort and being a loyal servent until he died or was murdered.

The watchful eyes told him that Malfoy knew it was not the whole truth_,_ but fortunately, he did not press the issue.

A sharp knock on the door had Malfoy jumping and falling off the bed to land on the floor on the side of the bed away from the door. There was a pause_,_ then the door was unlocked and Petunia looked in suspiciously.

"What was that?" she snapped.

"Um, I fell off the bed, just got off the floor," Harry said brushing his pants off.

His aunt narrowed her eyes_._ "Get downstairs_. _I have some chores for you to do. And be quiet, your uncle is not feeling well since you woke him up in the middle of the night."

Petunia left the door opened as she went down stairs.

Malfoy jumped up and grabbed the cloak, which had been left on the chair all night long. "That was close," he said near Harry's ear a minute later as Harry stood to go down.

Harry nodded in agreement_._ "We'll have to be more careful from now on. Keep the cloak on until I say to take it off."

Malfoy grumbled about Harry bossing him around_._ but did nothing beside that.

Harry spent the morning cleaning the kitchen, living room, bathrooms and doing other chores. The rooms did not really need to be clean_,_ but the Dursleys apparently could not think of anything else for him to do.

It was just nearing lunch when Harry's uncle finally came down. Dudley had been hidden in his room playing with his computer games, but came down for lunch.

Harry cleaned the toaster because he was not allowed to eat until all the chores were done. His relatives ate although Dudley kept glancing at him.

The doorbell rang at that moment and Petunia stood, shooed Harry upstairs because she did not want anyone to see him. Harry was happy to go; he ran upstairs and hid himself in his bedroom.

He grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite out of it as he looked around. The air shimmered slightly near his bed as Malfoy waited impatiently for Harry to tell him it was safe to take the cloak off.

"You can take it off for a minute but be ready to throw it back on," Harry said through some bread.

Malfoy did so eagerly, letting the silky cloak hang from one shouklder as he studied the food on Harry's bed. Harry was aware of Malfoy's gaze on him as he picked on his piece of bread.

Malfoy sighed and moved toward his trunk. The black-haired teen watched as Malfoy opened it up grabbed a handful of little bags and threw them on the bed. They were snacks, from a pack of fancy-looking crackers to a few chocolate frogs that Harry was almost surprised Malfoy had.

Malfoy grabbed a chocolate frog and threw it at Harry. "I expect you to pay me back for this," he said stiffly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Thanks but I'll stick to my--food."

He threw the chocolate frog back to Malfoy who had a starnge expression on his face. His grey eyes slid over the leftover food Harry had brought up and he made a disgusted expression.

"No," he said. "That stuff's nasty. You don't have to pay me back, just take it." He threw the frog back along with a pack of crackers.

Harry took them slowly. "Thanks."

Malfoy nodded stiffly and Harry turned to hide a grin.

They had eaten the small meal in comfortable silence. Harry could hear one of the neighbors downstairs talking to his aunt. Malfoy heard it to and a look of extreme dislike came on hs face every time he looked at the door.

"I don't see why you don't hate Muggles, Potter. They're atrocious, and more so than what I thought," Malfoy said to Harry with a curling of his lip.

Harry smiled, which made Malfoy blink in surprise. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the boy, he sat on the bed where Malfoy had slept the night before.

"They're not _all _like that, just the Dursleys."

Malfo looked at him with obvious disbeleif. "Face it, Potter, you're surrounded by rude idiots."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "No reason to go so hard on yourself."

Malfoy stared at him coldly. "You know what I mean," he said in a slightly impatient voice.

Harry sighed but nodded. "Yes, the Dursleys are gits, royal gits at that, but not all Muggles are like them."

"Prove it."

An annoyed breath made its way past Harry's lips. "I can't do that. You know I'm supposed to stay in the house so unless some Muggle comes here that actually _likes _me, I can't prove it to you."

The silence from Malfoy and the look on his face told Harry that he still did not believe him. Harry clenched his teeth.

"Alright, so I may not know many Muggles--" _And half of them I do know do not like me, _Harry thought but he shooed that thought away. "But there are good one, believe me," Harry said with the best positive attitude he could come up with. He popped a cracker in his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. _Do I know an_yM_uggles in the area that _don't _try to stay away from me? _

"Name some Muggle you know in this neighborhood," Malfoy said crossing his arms.

"Well," Harry searched quickly through the mental list of people he knew. "There's…um, Piers Polkiss, Toby Snyder, Malcolm Morsh, Gordan Kleber--"

Malfoy interrupted Harry, "Name _one _that doesn't eithier beat you up, hate you or stay away from you," Malfoy said with a smirk.

Gaping, Harry shut his mouth. "What makes you think they beat me up or dislike me?" he said guardedly.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "You looked like you were im pain when you were saying there names, Potter," he said with a snort. "That kind of gave it away."

Harry grumbled mentally and Malfoy snickered for a moment. "So," Malfoy said all humor gone and a serious expression on his face.

Uncomfortable with the change, Harry shifted away and said nothing.

"Are you going to talk or hide? I thought you were a Gryffindor, Potter, but now you're acting like a scared Hufflepuff," Malfoy said with a sneer that Harry hated.

"There is nothing in the world wrong with being a Hufflepuff, Malfoy. They're loyal and trustworthy, which is far more than what I can say for you."

Malfoy looked torn between surprise and amusement. "You are avoiding the question Potter. Why does no one like you here?"

The reason was simple to Harry. Explaining it to Malfoy would not be easy, though. Living with the Dursleys was emotionally exhausting and painful for Harry at times. He had no friends here; no one wanted to be around him because to them he was an outcast.

To the neighbors he was a liar, messed in the head and a burden to his _dear _relatives whom were kind enough to take him in. Harry did not want to tell Malfoy that, it would be handing weapons to his enemy.

_Maybe I can phrase my situation so that it will seem like I do not care. If I do not care then he cannot use anything I tell him agaist me,_ Harry thought. If he kept quiet any longer, Malfoy would know that he was keeping something from him. _I can't keep anything to myself anymore, _Harry grumbled to himself. _Maybe I am over thinking this, _Harry thought. _Not everything Malfoy does has a hidden motive…but he _is _the son of Lucius Malfoy who's a powerful man and Death Eater. _

"Is anybody in there?" Malfoy muttered as he waved his pale hand in front of Harry's face.

Harry scowled but Malfoy's teasing was deserved. "Come on and answer the question, Potter!"

"My aunt and uncle don't like magic," Harrry said. When those words did not seem enough to express his relatives feeling towards magic, Harry tried again. "I mean they _really _don't like magic_,_" and he gave a little laugh while looking toward his bedroom door.

"Or anything that has to do with it," Harry added as an afterthought. He did not think Malfoy would understand, but he was nodding.

"Some squibs I've none are like that," he said understandingly.

Harry blinked. _I guess some squibs would feel angry or scared toward magic. It must be terrible to be born from a magical family and yet have no magic,_ he thought with a frown.

"The Dursleys--my relatives--have made their dislike towards me obvious--"

"Why do they dislike you?" Malfoy asked catching onto Harry's words quickly. He seemed innocently curious when Harry glanced at him.

It would be stupid to deny their hatred toward him. Malfoy had seen how they acted up close and personal. Although Dudley had been nice around him for some reason, Petuniah and Vernion made up for it with hateful glances and spiteful words.

"I'm a wizard," Harry said as if that was answer enough. Malfoy waited for him to go on with a patient expression that was unlike him.

The black-haired teen blew air past his lips as he ran his hands through his hair.

"I was left on their doorstep in the middle of the night, Malfoy. With just a piece of paper explaining that my parents were dead and that, my relatives were expected to look after me. I probably wouldn't be happy eithier if I was in their situation," Harry said. "Aunt Petunia seems to have tried to distance herself away from all things magical, including her sister, my mom. Then I get shoved into her normal life and ruin it…surely you can see now why they don't like me."

Malfoy bit his lip and studied Harry. "I guess I can understand," he said finally.

Harry relaxed a bit and nodded. Then Malfoy continued. "It doesn't seem right for them to have guardianship over you, though. Who was the idiot that left you with them anyway?"

Harry choked a bit on his own spit. "Um, Professor Dumbledore," he said.

Snorting, Malfoy stood and shook his head. "Figures," Harry heard him mutter.

"Boy! Get back down here!" Vernon shouted making Harry and Malfoy jump in surprise. Malfoy threw the cloak over himself and followed Harry out of the room and down the stairs.

The neighbor was gone, but she had left Petunia and Vernon in bad moods, it seemed. "Petunia wants the whole yard weeded. I'll show you where she wants you to start," Vernon said and Harry saw Petunia blinking at her husband.

"Maybe you shouldn't go outside, dear. The heat might have an effect on you. I think you might have a bug--you've been acting--" Petunia started to say.

"I'll be fine," Vernon said stiffly and Petuniah shut her mouth slowly.

Harry looked between his relatives, wondering what was going on. Vernon dragged him toward the door before Harry could think of anything to say. Horror suddenly overwhelmed him, though. "I have to stay in the house sir!"

Vernon did not comment, but just pulled Harry out the door. It was times like these that Harry wished he ate more. Vernon was three time stronger than him and he would not let go of Harry's arm.

_You _must _stay within the borders of the house; an attack is more likely if you are within their sight. _Snapes words were ringing in his head. Repeating themselves over and over as Harry fought and yelled at his unresponsive uncle.

"Let go, Vernon!" Harry said loudly, hoping that maybe using his first name would make his uncle respond.

The wide man yanked Harry's arm with strength Harry did not know he had. The teen's arm twisted and Harry knew it was at least sprained as pain traveled up and down his limb.

Vernon had pulled him past over the walkway and into the middle of the yard. Harry leaned back but only hurt himself; Vernon would not let him go.

"What the _hell _are you doing? Let me go!" Harry looked around urgently and felt Malfoy's hands suddenly pulling on his shirt.

Vernon pulled something out of his shirt--a coin, but not just any coin. It was a galleon. Harry's eyebrows narrowed and he stopped struggling, "Where'd you get that?" he asked out loud.

Harry met his uncle's eyes and his own green eyes widened when he saw how empty they looked.

Then the dreaded feel of his stomach twisting made Harry gasp. The coin was a portkey.

With a short popping sound, Harry, Vernon and Malfoy were whisked away.

**A/N: **(Points and laughs at readers) Okay, that _would_ be mean. This was fairly long and even though it ended in a cliff hanger, I am working on the next chapter right now. So put down the knifes, please? Thank you. **hobesan, **I have no idea, lol. I know people in Australia eat it so why not Britain? **AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, Alix Baudelaire, blue artimus, Murgy31, tatajess, darkangel24700, **Thank you! All your reviews are fantastic and make me extremely happy. **black rhino, La-p'tite-tete, **The kitchen was not to far away. And the bond does give them room to breath, at least it's not a bond that keeps their wrists locked together. (shiver) We would have some very mad boys. **ddamato, **Hey and thank you for reviewing every chapter! Not a lot of people do that I'm glad you took the time to do so. I enjoyed reading them! **fattoad, EelvenGirl, tambrathegreat, BDSanta2001, goldentree, mayatrau, Chippendaleduo, **Lol, I did think it was talking about the disney chipmunks, (snicker) but I like that it's actually named after dancers more. Thank you for reviewing! **Zannie, **Hey and thanks for reviewing almost every chapter! You're great and I enjoyed reading your reviews. **Secrets of the Roman Empire. **


	17. Chapter 17: Pain and Suffering

They landed hard. Vernon pushed Harry to the ground, where he fell onto his side. He rolled over on to his back, shock and disbelief on his features. What was going on?

A sharp pain shot through his scar, making Harry lift his hand to his head. Dread was a heavy weight in his stomach as Harry looked up. Vernon stood over, him staring at something behind Harry. Turning fast enough to cause a crick in his neck, Harry saw that his uncle had been watching.

How he had not noticed them immediately, Harry did not know. Surrounded by Death Eaters, and looking quite pleased with himself, was Voldemort.

"Voldemort!" Harry gasped out as he saw the red eyes resting on him. He suddenly realized how much danger he was in. That--the threat of imminent death--made him gasp more than surprise.

Harry reached for his wand, which was in his back pocket, just to grasp air. Looking at Vernon, Harry saw his wand held in both of the man's chubby hands. All this happened , so quickly it was almost dizzying as Harry frantically tried to force himself to think clearly.

Voldemort laughed softly and walked forward as Harry scrambled to his feet. His eyes wide. Harry was feeling more useless and vulnerable then ever. The pain in his head was almost blinding. He could feel Voldemort's glee at capturing him and it made him sick.

"How nice of you to join us, Harry. And look, you brought your uncle--" Voldemort eyes narrowed shortly and he flicked his wand. The Invisibility Cloak flew off the younger Malfoy, whom Harry had forgotten about. Malfoy gasped slightly as the cloak slid of him and into Voldemort thin hand. "--and Mr. Malfoy as well. What a pleasant surprise."

Harry dared to glance quickly at Malfoy to see his reaction to al this. The blond was pale and terrified as he stood beside Harry.

"_Accio_ Draco Malfoy's wand," Voldemort intoned. With a startled jump from the younger Malfoy, his wand flew from his pocket and into Voldemort's hand.

Harry's mind was reeling with questions and accusations. _Did Malfoy set me up? Why did Vernon do what he did? Is Malfoy responsible for Vernon's behavior? _Harry wondered wildly.

One Death Eater stepped out of the ranks. Harry saw the strands a pale hair escaping the hood on the dark robes. "I did not give you permission to come forward, Lucius. Step back," Voldemort said coldly.

The elder Malfoy paused and then stepped back with obvious reluctance. "Forgive me, my lord," he murmured.

Voldemort nodded slowly his eyes calculating. "You are not to come near your son ."

Lucius's shoulders stiffened but he bowed his head in submission. The masks hid his and all the other Death Eaters' faces from Harry, who wished he knew who was who. He could see and feel the Death Eater's eyes on him as he stood there, watching warily. The only defense he had was physical, and against armed wizards who were probably physically stronger, anyway, he wouldn't stand a chance.

"I'm afraid you have worn out your usefulness, Muggle," Voldemort said to Vernon. Harry's uncle never stood a chance. Harry glanced to see the same glassy look in his uncle's eyes right before Voldemort fired _Avada Kevadra _at him.

Vernon fell down in front of Harry a second after the green light hit him square in the chest. Gasping in horror and shock, Harry stumbled back as the blue, dead eyes of his uncle stared straight ahead.

Arms pulled and pushed Harry down at Voldemort's feet.

Breathing heavily, Harry stood, shivering slightly as he glared hatefully at the man who had caused so much pain. The green-eyed boy never met his eyes; although he wanted to show that he was not scared.

That was a lie, though, and Voldemort was skilled in Legilimency. He could not look the man in the eyes; Harry did not trust his mental defenses enough. Then Voldemort would know how terrified he was and use it to mock him.

Voldemort looked at him with interested eyes before turning to Mal--Draco. Harry could not see him as just Malfoy anymore. He looked nothing like his outwardly calm, collected father now.

It did not mean he had changed though. Harry had heard the whimpering sound Draco had made when Vernon collapsed. He may have hated Muggles, but he seemed taken aback by seeing one die. It struck Harry again, just as if it had struck him in the graveyard with Cedric. Human lives were fragile.

The thoughts in Harry's head, which had seemed to slow down for him, suddenly sped up as someone grabbed him. The same person shoved him to his knees and tied his hands behind his back. Harry struggled against the hands that held him down and suddenly a wand was against his temple.

"_Crucio!" _The harsh word came out from between an unknown Death Eaters lips.

The pain was worse then what Harry remembered. His very bones were twisting. Harry dropped to the ground against his will. He could not hold himself up in the world of pain that encompassed him.

His scar was burning; his bones were on fire. Everything was ending. He could not handle anymore. Surely, this was the end. What was the use of living if he had to suffer? Moaning on the ground, his back arching of the ground and his face the perfect picture of pain. He wanted to black out so bad he was willing to beat his head against the ground.

Then it stopped and the world no longer revolved around the immense pain. Harry found himself lying on his side. He breathed in the smell of earth greedily, panting from the curse that had held him for who knew how long.

Death Eaters laughed. Their laughter ranging from loud and boisterous to soft with malice. Harry pushed himself up of the ground and onto weak legs that trembled and threatened to collapse underneath him.

Voldemort was staring at the Death Eater that had cursed Harry. "Why do you insist on learning the hard way, Aidan?" Aidan stiffened just before the _Cruciatus_ curse hit him. Immediately he was on the ground and shaking, but not shaking with pain but laughter. Behind the Death Eater mask, the man was laughing and Harry stared at him in incomprehension.

Voldemort gave the man a look of disgust before lifting the curse and leaving his panting follower to turn away. "Tie Potter up. He likes to try and escape," Voldemort said with faint amusement.

Someone spoke, "_I__ncarcerous._" Ropes wrapped around his arms all the way now, rather than half way like they had been before Harry had started struggling. His arms could not move now, and Harry glared at Voldemort without speaking.

Two Death Eaters had a hold on his shoulders. Together they pushed him down to his knees as Voldemort looked at Draco.

"I was not aware not aware that you were coming, Draco. Your father never told me. Can you tell me why he did not inform me of your visit?" Voldemort's voice was silky but dangerous. It seemed casual. Harry knew that Voldemort would wait for the younger Malfoy to lower his shields, then he would attack.

Draco was shaking slightly and he glanced toward the Death Eaters. Harry knew he was looking for his father.

"I--I did not know--" Draco took a deep breath and stared at the ground. Harry watched as the grey eyes got a bit wider and Draco fell to his knees before he gave his explanation.

"I was dragged along when Potter was brought here by the portkey because Dumbledore put me and him in a--a bond," Draco managed to say.

Voldemort stood staring at Draco with a cold, annoyed expression on his face. "What does this bond do?" Voldemort snapped and turned to stare at Harry now who glared back.

Draco took another deep breath and looked a bit hesitant. Harry realized that he was probably wondering if the bond would hurt him for speaking of it with a man that would try to use it against them.

"Now," Voldemort hissed impatiently and Draco swallowed before nodding and speaking.

"We can't be more then--um--ten or fifteen feet from each other, I can't hurt Potter or tell anyone anything I learn about him if it's to embarrass him or hurt him. It works the same for him," Draco said. He seemed to be calming down a bit and trying to think if the intent expression on his face was anything to go by.

"What would happen if you hurt him?" Voldemort asked still watching Harry who's glare did not lessen.

"Dumbledore said that the bond would hurt me and if I tried to kill him it--would kill me, my lord," Draco said humbly. Harry looked away to stare at Malfoy.

_My lord? _Harry though with a sick feeling in his chest.

"Severus," Voldemort said with a slight hiss as he turned away from the two teens. One Death Eater separated from the others and bowed slightly.

Harry knew he had to act the part. He was supposed to hate Snape with a passion and even more now that he knew he was a 'traitor.' There was no way he could attack Snape, which would have been best, but he still had his mouth and his words.

Hissing loudly in surprise Harry looked at Snape with wide angry eyes from his place on the ground. Voldemort had turned to watch him amusedly and the other Death Eaters followed his example.

"You!" Harry growled in anger. Voldemort chuckled as Snape lifted his head and glared at Harry under the mask. "Traitor!" Harry yelled murderously as he struggled against the hands trying to throw himself at Snape.

He did not stop to see if his act was good enough to convince Voldemort. Just remembered all those times when Snape had made him furious or feel sick with loathing. "Dumbledore trusted you, you bastard! I knew it, you're a bloody traitor!" Harry yells had some Death Eaters laughing as he pulled and yanked and twisted violently.

Voldemort shook his head with a smile that was like a slit in his face. "I have heard of the hatred between you and Potter, Severus, but I never knew you could make him this mad."

Snape nodded and Harry could hear the smirk in his voice. "He's very easy to rile, my lord."

Harry was still spewing insults with conviction. Calling Snape names, screaming and struggling to an extent that had Draco staring at him, looking rather pale.

"Why did you not inform me of this bond?" Voldemort asked. Harry's eyes widened. He had heard that tone before. It was the one Voldemort used right before he punished a servent who had displeased him.

"I found it irrelevant, my lord," Snape said with his head bowed slightly. "Another one of Dumbledore's foolish plans at interhouse unity. It was obvious it would fail. Potter and Malfoy hate each other."

Voldemort seemed to accept the words and Harry tried not to show his relief. "While that may be, I want everything you learn that could be used in anyway to be delivered to me." Before there was time for Snape to even nod, he was being held under the Cruciatus. The professor went to his knees but did not scream at first.

Voldemort watched him with a judging expression on his pale, thin face.

Then, Snape screamed. It was a short, angry sound mixed with pain and it made Harry flinch. After one quick moment, Snape was on his feet again. He did not even waver as he stood there, once again the obedient follower.

Voldemort nodded his approval. Harry had finally stopped his verbal abuse toward Snape and was now trying to catch his breath as he watched.

"Go back to to the old fool, Severus. I want a much information about this curse as possible," Voldemort said softly. There was a frown on his face that showed he was wondering if he would get what he wanted.

If he did not get what he wanted…well, Harry certainly did not want to be around then.

Snape bowed low and then turned. For the first time Harry looked around.

They were in a hall, which, while not near as big as the one in Hogwarts, was still impressive. The walls were made of dark wood and candlesticks floated high in the air, providing light. Voldemort was staring at him with a satisfied and cruel look on his face.

With a slim hand, Voldemort gestured and Harry found himself being dragged toward the thing that was once a man. The two Death Eaters threw him down at Voldemort's feet and with nothing to hold, him up Harry landed on his face.

Laughter, cold and delighting in his failure to stand, rang in his ears. Harry fought to sit up and it was Voldemort's hand in his hair that pulled him to a kneeling position.

Pain in his scalp from the pulling fingers made Harry clench his fists rather then show it on his face. The sharp shooting pains in his scar added to his stress and anger.

Voldemort's hands were not as cold as Harry thought they would have been.

There was still some human in Voldemort. Right now his fingers running over Harry's face were room temperture. Only slightly warm, like a serpent.

It seemed Voldemort was serpent-like in more than just looks. His slanted nostrils breathed in the scent of Harry's hair as he bent over the boy's frozen form. Disgust overcame the fear Harry felt and he tried to pull away from his parents murdered.

Voldemort grabbed his hair again and Harry winced. "Now, behave Harry or I might have to hand you over to my followers earlier than I had planned."

_I have to stay alive long enough for someone to get me out of here, _Harry thought.

As his head bent a bit, Voldemort laughed softly. "I knew you would obey."

Clenching his teeth, Harry held still as Voldemort once again ran his hands over his face and lifted his bangs. The scar would be inflamed, Harry knew. It had been hurting him throughout the time Harry had been near Voldemort.

One long-nailed finger ran over the scar slowly. Harry's eyers rolled to the back of his head at the overwhelming pain and Voldemort's hand in his hair was the only thing holding him up.

The Dark Lord chuckled. Then with a sigh--he drew back.

Harry immediately fell, much to the crowd's enjoyment. It was an effort, but Harry slowly got into a kneeling position. It was a task with his arms tied as tightly as they were, but he managed to stand up.

Voldemort motioned for him to come nearer.

Harry stared back this time meeting Voldemort's gaze and refusing to move. He felt that his Occlumency walls were strong at the moment. The hatred and other emotions he felt now were powering his mental capabilities.

The entertained and content expression on Voldemort's face froze over. In addition, Harry heard the Death Eaters still as they saw theirlord was unhappy.

Harry enjoyed that moment while it lasted. Then Voldemort gestured again, but this time it had Harry flying over to the lord's side where he landed into the hard wood painfully.

A hiss passed through Harry's gritted teeth and pursed lips. Voldemort laughed. "Next time maybe you will obey."

"Go to hell, Tom," Harry snarled and kicked out hitting the chair so that it creaked. Gasps and hisses from the Death Eaters had Harry grinning. "Don't they know you're old name, Tom?"

Voldemort stood slowly trying to be more intimidating towards Harry, who was still lying in an awkward position.

"Don't call me by that name--"

"It's a perfectly good name, a perfectly good _M__uggle _name. A lot different from the one you made up, eh Voldie?" As Harry taunted he saw Draco's wide eyes asking what the _hell _he was doing.

The shock of a slap had Harry's head reeling back to hit the floor. Voldemort had _slapped _him. It had _hurt._ Ignoring the pain, Harry sat back up. He wanted to say something that would infuriate Voldemort. Make him angry and maybe he would make a mistake.

The Dark Lord drew his wand before Harry could, though. With a flick of the wand and a nonverbal spell, Harry was withering on the floor from _C__rucio_. Then, just as that ended, Voldemort cast another spell.

Vines shot out of the ground. The floor busted under Harry as the dark green stems came out and wrapped around his body. They pulled him to the ground and Harry found the vines had thick thorns on over them. Thorns ripped into his skin and clothes, tearing them loudly. Harry could not help but scream as the thorns tore into his arms.

In the background Death Eaters were laughing and watching there entertainment provided by their lord.

Harry was breathing frantically. It was worse than in first year when they had fought with Devil's Snare.

The snakelike tendrils had Harry pinned to ther ground and the more he struggled the worse he was hurt by the unknown plant. A tendril had wrapped around his neck and climbed sideways up his face.

Smaller thorns caused scratches that bled. Harry closed his eyes and stopped moving the best he could. Blood ran into his eyes but he ignore the temptation to open his eyes. The thorns could easily tear out his eyes.

The blood loss was causing Harry to feel faint. "Enough," Voldemort spoke as if from a distance. The vines retreated but still scraped against Harry's skin. Carefully, Harry got up.

His arms and legs were extremely shaky, but he managed to stand and wipe the blood from his face. It was quickly replaced with more blood, but Harry ignored it.

"You seem rather tame now, Harry. Have you learned your lesson?" Voldemort asked from where he came to stand in frint of the boy.

Harry spat on Voldemort's face. It was more blood than spit but angered Voldemort just as much. With a snarl he spoke, "_Crucio!_"

He held his wand over Harry with an expression of fury. Harry screamed out as the pain from the unforgivable curse added to the pain from the thorns' markings that covered his body.

For many minutes, Harry screamed in unbelievable pain. His throat was hoarse, his lips cracked and bleeding. Finally and mercifully, Harry blacked out.


	18. Chapter 18: Plotting and Planning

Snape was as casual as he could be while exiting the Dark Lord's throne room. He saw Potter unconscious now, being picked up by Fenrir Greyback with a quick reminder to _just_ drop him in his cell.

_Potter, _Snape though with disgust. Was that name always going to cause him distress? When Harry had shown up in the room, Snape had been amazed and terrified. The Dark Lord had not told anyone of his plan, but instead had said he _was not _going to attack Potter!

That fact added to Snape's fear. Voldemort knew he had a spy in his ranks. He had to warn Dumbledore, him and the order probably would not be aware of Potter's kidnapping for a couple of days if he could not tell them.

He rounded a corner that was close to the Potions lab provided by Voldemort. There was a Floo there he could use to get to Hogwarts and then to Dumbledore.

Fate had other plans. "Severus," the smooth, aristocrat voice made Snape curse his luck. Of all the people to find him, it just _had to _be Lucius Malfoy.

Always in charge of his emotions, Snape turned to the man calmly. Lucius was watching him with light curiosity in his expression accompanied with fake boredom.

"Whatever are you doing here? I thought you would enjoy watching Potter being dragged of by a hostile werewolf."

Snape gave a sneer-like smile. "I wouldn't let Greyback hear you say that. Why are you not watching your son, Lucius? Shouldn't you be reminding him of his place? He almost forgot to kneel before our Lord. It's a wonder he was not cursed…." Snape had watched as Draco struggled to find himself and do what was expected. He had also seen Lucius's stiff shoulders that showed his fear for his son.

Narrowing his eyes just slightly, Lucius said, "If I did not know you any better Severus, I'd say you were trying to change the subject."

Snape gave a humorless chuckle. "If you must know, I have work to be graded back at Hogwarts. I am sure the Dark Lord will call me when he decides to torture Potter some more. He knows I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Lucius sniffed, a trait that he had passed to his son. "You might even get a chance to torture him yourself, Severus."

There was a slight pause that Snape cursed himself for later. "I'll be delighted to show Potter his place. I imagine his father would be rolling in his grave."

"Hmm, and his mudblood mother," Lucius said. This was dangerous ground, Severus knew. He had always though that Lucius knew more about his friendship with Lily then he let on.

"Indeed," Snape murmured. Two Death Eaters joined them then. It was the Carrows, Snape saw, recognizing their squat figures.

"The Dark Lord wants to see you, Malfoy," Amycus Carrow said wheezily.

Lucius nodded at Snape and then left, not even looking at the Carrows.

Snape waited until the Carrows had left before he went into his room.

Heading over the Floo, he took of his mask and closed his eyes briefly before flooing away. He had information to get, and to give.

………………………………...

Cold had numbed his skin many hours ago, but it was the first thing Harry noticed when he awoke. The second thing he noticed was the weird way he was lying. His arm pressed into his side as he lay on the ground. Harry moved a little and gasped as pains made themselves known. Biting his bloody lip, Harry sat up to look around.

Grey, brick walls, dripping with water surrounded him four ways. Harry remembered the portkey and his uncle dying in a flash of memory that made him close his eyes.

He felt no remorse for his uncle's death, but was sad for his aunt and Dudley. Now though, was not the time for thinking like that. He had to figure out what his situation was.

Harry mentally told himself to take a deep breath, and to get up. Opening his eyes, Harry looked around again. Over in the corner there was a bed. A huddled form lay on it, and Harry warily stood up and made his way to it.

He already knew he would not find his wand even as his hand was reaching for his pocket, but he couldn't resist the impulse. But there was no danger -the platinum blond hair told him who it was. Harry was confused as to why Draco was being kept with him and he reached out to push him roughly.

Draco jumped and rolled over to glare at Harry, "Get away from me, Potter! You're the reason we're in this mess!"

Harry glared at Draco's rudeness. "Why are you in here?"

With a sneer, Draco sat up and then stood. His hands clenched into fists. 'I'm in here because the Dark Lord doesn't trust me! I just appear beside you when you got portkeyed here, and now I might not ever get a good position with the Dark Lord because he does not trust me!"

Harry inflated with fury and pushed Draco back onto the bed. "Well I'm sorry I might have hurt your chances at being Voldemort's favorite! But I have a dead uncle _and _I have to figure out how I'm going to make it out of here alive!"

They stood there glaring at each other and panting for a few moments.

With a creaking noise, the heavy door that was the only entrance and exit to the room, opened. The two boys were surprised into turning away from each other.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood there with a small, smile on her face. Behind stood another Death Eater but Harry's attention was on Bellatrix.

"Aww, did the wittle baby come over to pway?" She stopped talking to cackle and come further into the room. Harry growled furiously and struggled.

"Naughty boy," she said waving her wand mockingly.

Harry cried out as Bellatrix spoke the incantation for the Cruciatus Curse. He could not escape the spell, and screamed in pain as it descended on him.

When Bellatrix took it off, Harry glared at her and stood. "I'm going to kill you one day," he said softly. He meant it to, as far as he was concerned, all Death Eaters needed to be killed.

He had heard of Bellatrix Lestrange before, she was not only a cousin of Sirius's, but also a killer and a crazy one at that.

The determination in his eyes, made Bellatrix blink in surprise. Then she laughed at him, and turned toward the doorway.

"Did you hear that, Macnair? The boy says he's going to _kill _me, haha!" Macnair made a sighing sound.

"I heard. Now hurry up, Lestrange, you're going to make us late, and I'm not taking responsibility for you," he sneered from out in the hall.

Bellatrix lost her smile and sniffed with a delicate air that Harry had never seen the woman use. She waved her was with a silent incantation and had Harry and Draco bound and dragged out of the room behind her.

Harry could tell that they were getting closer to Voldemort when his scar tinged. The slight pain was a lot better then what he had been expecting. Voldemort must have been occluding or doing something else that would not let Harry feel his emotions.

As the entered the room, Harry tried to take in all the details. It looked like a lounge. The walls were bookshelves and the books decidedly looked dark. Harry saw one with a skull on its binding, before he was pushed farther into the room.

Voldemort stood before a desk, reading from an old manuscript. Draco kneeled and, unfortunately for Harry, did not see the look of disgust Harry shot at him.

Lucius stood beside Voldemort, keeping his eyes away from his son. Snape was also there. He had a sneer-like smile on his face directed towards Harry.

Harry gulped without meaning to. The smile widened on Snape's face.

Voldemort snapped the book close, and turned around. His thin face had an unhappy look. Harry felt a tinge of anger when red eyes met green. Then, Voldemort occluded again, and Harry felt nothing except his own fear.

With a light sigh, Voldemort sat down in a chair not nearly as fancy as the one Harry had seen yesterday.

"I would like nothing more then to kill you right now, Potter. However, certain problems, keep me from completing this task…." With a look in Draco's direction with the word problems, Voldemort continued. "Apparently, your old fool has thought this through. I'm almost impressed. From what Severus has told me, and from what I have read in these books." Voldemort gestured to the many books in the room. "I can not kill you without having Draco as a casualty." Draco took a moment to jerk from where he had been kneeling.

"As that would be unfortunate, I am taking some time to study this _bond _in further detail." Voldemort hissed out the word bond with much hatred.

_Did Dumbledore really plan just in case this happened? _Harry wondered quickly.

The next second, Voldemort shot a spell at him that slashed his side. This line of red quickly stained Harry's light blue shirt. It was not that deep, but it did hurt.

"Until then, I can make up for those thirteen years you took away from me," Voldemort said almost cheerfully.

"You can try, but Malfoy will be hurt--" Harry tried, but Voldemort laughed.

"I have personally read about the bond Potter; do not try that on me. As long as it is not Draco hurting you himself, he will not be hurt. In just a matter of time, we will find a solution and Lucius can have him perfectly unmarred son back," Voldemort said. He sounded bored by the time he had finished.

Then, the smile was back. "Until then, I have some plans for you."

………………………………...

Snape crossed his arms, trying hard not to start shouting. _Not that anyone would hear me, _he thought snidely.

He was in Grimwauld House, and the Order of the Phoenix was not acting very professional. In fact, most members were yelling at each other. Orders being shouted, questions being asked, and one Mrs. Weasley was crying.

"Why, why that poor boy? Oh dear, I'll go make some tea or something!" she said frantically.

They had only known Harry Potter had been kidnapped for a few hours.

Moody was trying to come up with a plan from what information they had. Which was not much. Snape could not tell them where Harry was at because of a Fidelius Charm, which was placed on all the Death Eaters. Voldemort was the secret keeper.

Sirius was in a state of shock, and agitation. He had not even spared Snape a glance since he had heard the news. The levels of confusion, stress, and overall chaos these people had right now,made Snape feel ill.

_The boy is so frustrating; I don't see why they're not happy he's gone, _Snape though meanly. He wanted to say it aloud just to get a rise out of Sirius. Make the man act more like his stupid self. He did not dare, though; he had heard that Molly had quite the punch.

Thinking back to the situation again, Snape was once again exasperated. Sure Potter had not been so incredibly irritating lately, and maybe he had gotten better at Occlumency. However, they were acting as if he were already dead or moments away from it.

Dumbledore could not be found early enough for the meeting, either. Without the head of the order, everyone was going crazy.

_They have to be led around, _Snape thought with a disdainful look at the surrounding people. Molly was pouring tea on the tablecloth, her eyes looking straight ahead.

Suddenly, Albus entered the room. Most everyone flocked to him--all except for Snape.

"Do you know anything Albus?" Sirius asked before everyone else. "Where's Harry at?"

Albus held up his hands. "Settle down, Sirius. That goes for the rest of you as well," he said looking over the rim of his glasses. "Molly, the tablecloth isn't thirsty…."

"Oh, sorry, Albus," Molly said flushing.

"I'm not sure how Harry was taken. I have not yet contacted Mrs. Dursley, but I want someone to do so while we find Harry." Albus spoke calmly; his tone seemed to calm some others as well. Just his presence was making people relax slightly.

With his wrinkled hand, Albus gestured towards Snape. "As you may know, I binded Harry with Draco Malfoy shortly after I was warned that this exact thing could happen by Severus."

The attention went shortly to Snape. Seeing his normal glare, they looked back at Albus.

"Why Albus?" Hestia Jones asked.

Molly nodded. "I though it _was _rather mean to Harry, he did not deserve--"

Snape silently set off a whistling charm, which blew loudly. Albus met his eyes momentarily, with a swift nod of thanks. How he knew, Snape had no idea.

"Voldemort, I'm sure, would not like to lose any of his followers. Especially Lucius Malfoy…." Albus trailed off, staring at something they could not see.

"Er…what?" Bill Weasley asked the question most were thinking.

"If Voldemort tries to kill Harry, Draco Malfoy will die as well--" Molly, and Tonks both gasped--Molly in fear for Harry dying, and Tonks in a gasp of understanding.

"Lucius Malfoy will not give up his only son easily. I imagine a great rift would happen between Voldemort and Mr. Malfoy," Albus said.

Moody was shaking his head. "You really think the bastard cares about the brat that much?" he asked gruffly.

Smiling lightly, Albus nodded. "Above all, the Malfoys admire family and bloodline. They would not have the Malfoy name ending so soon, and I do not doubt that the Malfoys care for each other."

Someone snorted in disbelief. Snape, however did not doubt Albus. He had studied the Malfoys more closely than anyone else in the room. Snape had been friends with Lucius in school, and even after school.

He had seen past the Malfoy exterior a few times, although it was brief and sometimes by accident. Lucius loved his son. The main reason he followed the Dark Lord was for his family's safety. He was about to learn his family was no safer there than on the side of Light.

**A/N: **Drop me a line…if you dare. J Anyone is welcome to join my yahoo group, get teasers at the new chapters, new stories or look at my link section for other authors and readers.

**Hobesan, **Lol, thanks for your review, it made me laugh. My Voldemort is what I imagine how he would act. I don't have a word for him excerpt evil. If he gets out there will definitely be recovery. **black rhino, **I imagine Lucius was mad, when he stepped forward he might have been going over to lecture his son (or drag him home by his hair). But Voldemort stopped him. **AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, nikkila, **I'm sorry, (pouts). If I offer you a cookie and a quick update, will you forgive me? (grin). **Snapesthe1, **I have been wanting Harry to spit on Voldemort ever since I began this story. Draco and Snape's reactions, (the latter we will hear more about later) were just an added bonus. I imagine Harry is having a hard time thinking straight. He goes from somewhat calm to spitting and trying to make the DE's rage. **blue artemis, **You gave me another story idea, it would be cool to have Harry and Draco share their emotions, like empathy. I imagine they would go nuts though, lol. Voldemort had Harry's blood in the series, and yet Dumbledore still sent him back there to his Aunt's house. I think the place is better protected then what some seem to think. Dumbledore would not send Harry back there if he knew he would be in major danger. He did not know Harry would be kidnapped. **mayatrau, cckeimig, **I'm good at torture, just ask my brothers. **DarkAngel667, **Ugh, please stop winking! Lol, glad you liked it though. **EelvenGirl, **Hopefully we will hear more of Draco's thoughts as this plays out, glad you enjoy it. **Cap'n Stella, **Thank you! **coymelody, **He can't feel the pain, no. If he did I can't imagine Voldemort would care…but it would be interesting to see Lucius's reaction. **Silverthreads, **All the heroic heroes, both male and female, edge on there enemies. Not saying anything makes them look more helpless, by talking back there showing they still have their spirit. And remember, by edging on the bad guys, the good guy _usually _escapes. **HopeHealer, **Thanks so much! **Marissa, **Thank you, I can't see building a story around one thing. You gotta have a lot, lol. **La-p'tite-tete, **Lol, Sev will save them. You told me to tell you, (grin). I won't tell you if I'm teasing or not. I have the next chapter complete so hopefully you won't have to wait _too _long. **Sarcastic chockn'surprise, **I think you would be in Ravenclaw, never thought to use that logic against the few flamers I have had. (I did take slight offense to being called a Harry torturer by a flamer, lol). Without something major happening, fan fiction would not be worth reading. And I'm a fan of angst. Thank you for the encouraging review. I want to fight with a certain reviewer now after reading your review, sadly my friends and me scared said person off. (Sigh). Thank you. **jayley, **Thanks, if Harry lives I'll spoil him to make up for the torture. **Fitful, **Nice to meet a new reviewer. This won't be slash, can't see myself writing it. I'm not positive on the shipping, I'd love your opinion. This was meant to be a Harry and Snape fic, but Draco somehow entered the picture when two plot lines came together suddenly. Now I'm trying to get them to share Harry. (Story is still not slash, lol). Glad you liked it! **goldentree, **Good and bad, sweet and sour. Maybe it will be good and sweet soon, you can hope. Thank you for reviewing!


	19. Chapter 19: The Love of a Father

His hands were still bound behind his back, but that did not stop Harry from struggling as the Death Eaters tortured him with the Cruciatus. That seemed to be the Death Eaters' favorite curse.

They also liked the cutting hex, although they healed the cuts when he started paling. Just to cut them back open, of course.

Draco was standing still a few feet away from Harry. He was also trying not to look at Harry. The black-haired boy caught the blond's eyes on him a few times, though. He seemed freakily fascinated with the pain Harry was in.

Harry shivered at the thought. While Draco was watching him, his expression cold, Harry could not help but think that he would make a good Death Eater. The thought was swept away as pain overcame him again and he was back to whimpering on the floor.

Many minutes later, Harry could tell that Voldemort had something planned. The snakelike man kept talking in a low voice with his Death Eaters. He was not even watching as Harry was tortured.

Bellatrix came towards Harry. _Maybe if I knock her over, she'll drop her wand and _maybe _I can grab it. _The act would be hard with his hands tied, but Harry was going to try. He lunged at her. She shrieked and stumbled back as he bumped her.

Then he had to straighten himself up from where he had landed. Harry cursed softly and glared at Bellatrix.

"Oh dear," Voldemort said staring at Harry with a finger trying the arm of his chair. His attention had been caught. "I do believe you need some discipline, Harry. It's obvious Dumbledore has not got his Gryffindor prince under control."

Harry sneered sarcastically. "Or maybe, it's because I hate you, dumbass!"

The Death Eaters around Harry gasped, stilled to a frozen position. Belletrix's, though, shrieked with rage.

"How _dare_ you!" she snarled. Her pale hand reached forward and grasped Harry's hair in a fist.

Pulling his head back, Bellatrix laid her hand on his Adam's apple, feeling for his pulse with cold fingers. "Do you _any idea _how fast I can kill you? _Never _speak to the Dark Lord in such a manner!" Her tone was soft and dangerous.

The position his head made it hard for Harry to roll his eyes, but he managed to do so. "What manner would you prefer?" he asked mockingly.

Her eyes were dark, they widened in indignation and anger. Harry lost his balance as she threw him away.

"My Lord, I beseech you! Let me put the boy in his place. I will break him for you!" Bellatrix kneeled and looked at Voldemort's feet.

Sitting back up, Harry saw Voldemort make a dismissive motion. "I think not, Bella. You already touched Potter without my permission; you had better be glad I'm a merciful master--"

Harry snorted, then could not help himself and laughed out loud. It was a humorless laugh. Voldemort merciful? Harry shivered for no reason--that had been happening every five to ten minutes.

"You torture your own followers, Tom, for the smallest mistakes and other times for no reason at all! How the _hell _does that make you merciful?" Harry was exasperated. Were the Death Eaters completely blind?

Voldemort leaned forward, a snarl on his face. "Silence him!" he snapped.

Bellatrix did so immediately. Harry found that he could not hear himself and stopped talking.

"Yesss, Potter doesss need to learn his place," Voldemort said, his voice changing slightly as the anger showed in his narrowed eyes.

"Wormtail," Voldemort said and waved his hand sharply. The traitor came forward. Skinnier than Harry remembered, and he looked more crazed as well.

"Yes, my lord?" he murmured softly, looking anywhere besides Harry.

"Show Potter where he'll be staying," Voldemort said with a sly chuckle. Wormtail moved toward Harry with reluctance. Harry glared at the traitor as he came closer.

For one moment, their eyes met. Wormtail quickly looked away again, but not fast enough so that Harry could not see the fighting emotions in his eyes.

Wormtail's silver hand grasped Harry by his coller. With inhuman strength he quickly pulled Harry a few feet away from Voldemort's chair.

Voldemort waved his wand, a brass cage appeared. It looked like a huge bird cage, and its door was open.

Harry understood what it was for. "You owe me, Wormtail," Harry whispered in the man's ear.

Wormtail froze, and then laughed. "I owe you nothing Potter," he muttered just loud enough for Harry to hear. Then, he was lifted and thrown in the cage.

His head made a dull thud as it crashed into the back of the cage. Harry had to pull his legs up, and stand up before Wormtail slammed the door on his feet.

The ringing in his head made him feel dizzy. He wished he could sit down; the cage was too small, though.

"There, Harry, no more lunging at my followers. It's a shame that I'm going to kill you; you would make a good pet." It was more of a leer than a smile that Voldemort gave Harry.

Harry gave him a disgusted look in return. Voldemort laughed.

"Wormtail, give our pet some food," Voldemort said in an amused tone. He was sitting in his chair looking as content as any, crazy, killing, snake man could.

"Yes my Lord," Wormtail murmered, the perfect follower.

Harry felt hatred run in his veins. That was why, when Wormtail stuck his hand in between the bars of the cage, Harry lurched forward, and bit his hand. He _really _did not care about what they would do to him next. They seemed to have appointed a time for when to kill him. Until then, they would keep him alive.

So his teeth bit down on those fingers hard. Wormtail had been teasing him before--he was going to drop Harry as few pieces of bread. Instead, Wormtail was now screaming and jerking his hand. Harry held on. The taste of blood in his mouth made him want to spit the hand out, but he was not going to make this easy on his captures.

Wormtail was banging on the cage with his silver fist. It was becoming dented under the pressure. Voldemort was shouting orders. The cage came loose from where it was hinging a little off the floor.

Harry gasped in pain as Wormtail's hand was wrenched from his mouth when the cage fell to the floor and rolled over.

A boot covered foot kicked visciously at the cage. Repetedly Wormtail attacked Harry, cursing and screaming in pain.

Harry's world was tilting, dizzy, and full of pain. The kicks and punches from Wormtail had him hitting the bars of his cage. His ribs, head, and all the other parts of his body were hurting.

Harry tried to protect his head but he kept throwing out his arms to protect himself. Finally, a jarring strike made him black out as his unprotected head hit the bars.

………………………………

Pain. Aching, jolting, worth-groaning-over-pain. It consumed him. Made it impossible to think clearly. Harry did not think he could open his eyes fully if he wanted to.

His throat was dry. He wished he could fall back into the welcoming unconsciousness.

Then he would be able to avoid the Death Eaters talking.

Blearily, Harry opened his eyes and straightened himself out. He was slumped uncomfortably in his cage. As his eyes took in the masses of white masks, he realized that he was on display.

The cage was suspended in the middle of the room for all to see. He felt like a parrot. At least they weren't trying to feed him crackers.

_Thinking of food…_Harry remembered biting Wormtails fingers. He could still taste blood in his mouth. His teeth were probably stained with it.

Absent mindedly he ran his tounge over his teeth and grimaced. A mental image of a beast with skin between his teeth just came to his mind.

Lightly shuddering, Harry looked around the room. The tan stone walls, Voldemort's throne, two tables on each side of the room. Death Eaters occupied each table. Harry was happy to see Voldemlort did not have enough Death Eaters to fill both tables. In between the tables was a large walkway, and Harry hung right in the middle.

Some Death Eaters had noticed his return to conscious…and they celebrated by throwing food at him. Laughter and crude comments were tuned out as Harry picked the chicken skin of his hair and looked for Draco.

He found him after a moment. He was sitting near Voldemort and looking just liked he belonged there. In fact, Harry was reminded of Lucius. Draco looked calm and composed.

He was eyeing the Death Eaters mocking and tormenting Harry with their dinner. His face showed disinterest.

Harry's teeth clenched. To think that the youngest Malfoy might not have been so bad, Harry shook his head, sighed, and broded.

_Where is Snape? Shouldn't I be out of here by now? What's taking him so damn long? _Harry wondered. After that thought, though, he frowned.

_I can't blame Snape for this_. I_f I had fought harder with Uncle Vernon, maybe I would not be here. _Harry sighed a little. Ignoring the Death Eaters made them bored and they went back to their meal.

_Snape will get me out if he can_. _T__here might be a protection spell on the building and he might not be able to tell anyone my location. _Harry thought over that while nipping on the apple that had landed in his cage. It _what is it? _would probably just infuriate the Death Eaters more, with that thought he bit into it noisily.

_But--_Harry stopped chewing on his apple. _What if Snape decided helping him was out of the question? He would have to give up his spying job_--_that would be a _huge _loss for the __O__rder. And Snape hates me me anyway, why would he risk himself? _

Harry stood there contemplating that thought.

_Dumbledore would tell him he had to. Snape may hate me, but I don't think he want's me dead, _Harry thought. But, maybe that was just wishful thinking.

_They may not rescue me at all, _Harry thought, his stomach clenched.

He had had nightmares of Death Eaters killing people. The Order did not always rescue them, when or if they even tried. Would they figure he was not important enough not to save?

Doubts and uncertainty made Harry's stomach roll. He wished he had not eaten that apple. _Would knowing members of the _O_rder make them want to save me more? _Hary could not see Sirus _not_ trying to save him.

_He's my _g_odfather; of course he would try--if he could find me. If nothing else, him being friends with __D__ad would make him feel responsible for me, right? _Harry asked himself.

The green-eyed boy was shaken out of his thoughts as a Death Eater left the hall, pushing his cage as he went. The brass cell swung, causing Harry to hit the side of his face on the bars.

He cursed loudly, holding a hand to his aching cheek. The Death Eaters were pleased with his reaction.

Harry tried to reign in his emotions. It was hard, though. He was surrounded by people who would give up their arms to hurt him, no escape was in sight, and he was hurt. Not terribly so, but he had small shivers that were almost spasms. An aftereffect of the Cruciatus curse.

……………………………..

Snape ate dinner in the Dark Lord's presence. Something he would not usually do, but because of Potter, he felt it had to be done.

Potter was suspended about the floor in a cage. The Dark Lord seemed to take pleasure in seeing the boy so helpless. When Potter finally burst out cursing at the ones throwing food at him, the Dark Lord smiled.

Afterwards, Snape left. Lucius had asked him where he was going. He had replied that he was going to brew potions. That answer was not good enough for the elder Malfoy, who pressed further.

Snape told him he was going to his mansion. Then Snape left, to go to Grimauld Place. He had to worry about Lucius's actions. It was unlike the man to be acting so…finicky. He was pressing for details without being subtle. Snape knew Lucius had been talking with the Dark Lord before dinner. Whatever had been said was weighing heavily on Lucius.

Snape got back to his house much later that night. He had not slept in almost two days. And it seemed fate was going to make him wait even longer.

The Floo started up just minutes after he had arrived. "Severus, may I come through?"

Snape cursed in his head. Lucius. What did the man want now?

"Yes, Lucius," he replied tightly. His nerves were straining, he fought to keep him emotions low.

With a graceful stride, Lucius came through the Floo. "Why, Severus, you look like you've just arrived," he said. Snape searched the man's face; he was ready to draw his wand if that action was necessary. They may have been friends, but in war drastic measures were necessary. And friend or not, Lucius was not one he could risk underestimating.

"I saw no need to change my clothes, Lucius. I was, however, about to go to bed. Was there something in particular you wanted?" Snape asked. Lucius obviously read between Snape's words as he smirked.

"One would think you want me to leave Severus," he said with amusement and innocence.

Clenching his teeth, Snape tried not to snap at the man. He wanted a headache potion and sleep, was that too much to ask for? Apparently so.

"I am tired, Lucius. Can whatever you wanted to discuss wait until tomorrow?" Snape did not hide bother to hide his weary look toward his bedroom.

Lucius sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. That alone showed that something was wrong. Lucius was always the perfect portrait of poise.

"I'm afraid not, Severus. It matters a great deal to me, and I think that you can help me," Lucius said.

Snape was instantly alert. He did not speak; Lucius understood and sat down in a chair uninvited.

"I am worried for Draco's life."

Snape was already still, but now he froze. What had the Dark Lord told Lucius to make him this way?

"The Dark Lord--he plans on killing Potter, and he knows that Draco will die along with him. He doesn't care about my son's life. Nor the life of any of his other followers. I have realized that, and I think I knew it all along. He told me when he is going to kill Potter; he's testing my loyalty to him, Severus," Lucius paused. He turned to look Severus in the eyes from where he had been staring into the distance.

"I have discovered that my loyalty to my family is stronger than that to the Dark Lord."

Snape tried not to show his surprise at this revelation. He had wondered how far Lucius would go to protect his family, but he never expected Lucius to tell him.

"What is it you want from me?" Snape asked, speaking each word carefully.

Lucius stared at him without faltering. "I want you to help me save my son."

**A/N: **I've had a complaint about how I answer reviews, does anybody else dislike my way? If you do, would you rather I only answer unsigned reviews like the way I do and answer the signed ones like regular? I want everyone reviewing to be noticed, as I appreciate the feedback a lot. Also, I've changed the summary. Is it better or worse? **Hobesan, **Thank you for reviewing! The flamer is gone, I have not heard any more complaints. I think Draco is confused, now he's playing the perfect DE until he knows what to do. **emotionless-robot, **Thank you so much! **EelvenGirl, **Thank you! Hopefully I'll update again next week, and the one after that. **AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, **Here you go, a cookie, hurry grab it or I just might eat it myself, (evil laugh). Thank you for reviewing. **fattoad, HopeHealer, Snapesthe1, **I've always wanted Harry to spit on Voldy, lol. Thank you for reviewing! **blue artemis, **Thank you and I'll go back and fix that! **Cap'n Stella, **The being bound idea came from another story I was writing, they just molded together perfectly, lol. Yes, I have now changed the summary, tell me if you like it please. **DarkAngel667, **No problem, I just didn't want you scaring anyone, it is a bit creepy when you do it constantly, lol. **La-p'tite-tete, **I can't tell you, you don't really want me too ruin the surprise for you do you? Stop saying yes, (grin). **tambrathegreat, **No alert? Hasn't this happened before, hmm. I don't like evil Lucius eithier, and nice Lucius makes me laugh. I think he can be dangerous, but not scarily-I like spilling blood-evil, lol. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! **ImperialJedi, **I'll ask the other's, some say they like this way. **savvyjuice, **Wow, thank you! I don't take the age comment offensive at all. I'm flattered that you think I can grow to be a lot better. Even if the abuse Harry suffers was more wide known, I don't think Dumbledore would do anything and the people that he has a big influence on. It seemed to say that in the last book. Dumbledore knew that the Dursleys hated Harry but he kept him there in their care, the reasons for that have already come to light. It will stay non slash, I'm glad you liked the Slytherin girl. I have possible plans for her. (If I can make sure she doesn't wander into being a Mary Sue). Thanks again! **poppaea-Sabina, **Harry won't take it well at all. Imagine that it will go something like when he found out the prophecy, lol. I like a mad Harry, he's funny, lol. Thank you for reviewing.


	20. Chapter 20: Depending on Draco

Snape stared at Lucius emotionlessly.

"What makes you think I'd help you?" Snape asked. He leaned forward slightly; his hand was positioned casually over his wand.

Lucius was watching him intently. At the question he paused. "I have had a assumption about you for a while Severus. Many years in fact. Of course, I have no proof and I would not dare come to the Dark Lord without proof. And I certainly would not come to him now…" Lucius said.

There was more. Snape _knew _that Lucius was holding something back.

"Bringing a spy to him might be enough to stop him from knowingly killing my son--"

Snape stood up quickly at those words, his wand in hand and pointing at the man opposite at him. Lucius smiled slightly. "So I _was _right."

"Did I say that, Lucius? I'm positive I did not, and my memory's never been one to fool me. I wouldn't want you taking me to our Lord with no evidence. Not only will you be cursed when you are proved wrong, but I'll be punished for being captured so easily," Snape said quite calmly, as he searched his mind for ways out of the predicament.

Lucius shrugged delicately. "You did not let me finish my sentence. I'll do so now. Bringing a spy to him might be enough to stop him from knowingly killing my son, but it's more likely the bastard would kill you and then kill Potter."

Snape did not speak. He was ready to call the other man's wand. Lucius was a very experienced dueler. If he started fighting, it was likely he would win.

"Do you know how he plans to kill Potter, Severus? No?" Lucius said seriously.

"He suspects someone, Severus. He won't let you around the boy anymore, and he told me he's going to keep you away--along with several others. You are still one of his most needed followers. I'm not sure that he trusts you as much as he used to though. Bellatrix is constantly whispering her thoughts about you in his ear. The Dark Lord does not trust me, either. Not the mistrust he would have towards a spy, but he thinks I'll try to stop him from doing what he plans. Draco is my only child, Severus," Lucius said.

For a moment, Snape saw the panic Lucius hid so well. The man was scared of losing his son and only child. There was silence as Snape thought over what he could do. There was not much.

Lucius seemed to grow more stiff as the silence continued. His face still but watchful as Snape continued thinking. His wand was still trained on the man sitting opposite him.

"Will you help me or shall I take my leave?" Lucius finally asked in a stiff tone.

"I'll help you," Snape said finally. He lowered his wand but left it out and in his hand.

Some of the stiffness seemed to disappear out of the air as Lucius sat up straighter and nodded. _What have I gotten myself into now? _Snape wondered.

……………………………

It was almost time for him to die.

Harry knew it. The anticipation in the air told him so. Bellatrix looked more crazed than usual and had changed her robes to some fancier ones.

It was not everyday you get to kill Harry Potter, after all.

Voldemort was calling his Death Eaters. Draco positioned himself beside Harry's cage; he was wearing Death Eater robes. He had not dared to try talking with Harry.

They had mostly left Harry alone. Wormtail had mocked him by holding some water close and then pulling it back. Harry thought the traitor must have known how thirsty prisoners got. They had broken his glasses, and while it was harder to see, Harry could still make out most details.

His throat was dry. Harry had tried breathing through his mouth once because it felt hard to breathe at times, and he could not even tell his mouth was open. In the past hours, Harry's lips had dried from the continuous licks he gave them with his tongue. Now they were cracked, he knew that if he had a mirror it would show some blood on his lower lip.

_If I had a mirror it would probably show blood all over my face, _Harry thought with a severe frown. Of course, frowning hurt his face so he settled for a neutral expression. He glanced at Draco again and sighed quietly.

Then, they were ready for him.

The Death Eaters gathered themselves together. White masks were turned in either Harry's or Voldemort's direction. It gave Harry a disturbed feeling knowing so many eyes were on him. Almost the same feeling when he was at school and kids stared at him for his scar. Harry had never hated that scar more than what he did now. _Why did I have to be the bloody Boy-Who-Lived? _

But complaining about fate was not going to stop anything. Harry knew this and stopped cursing his situation. The cage door opened and two Death Eaters roughly pulled out Harry.

"I've been waiting ages for this," one whispered in Harry's ear. Harry recognized the voice; it was the Death Eater Voldemort had cursed, Aidan.

Harry tried not to shiver. Aidan's breath smelled of meat. Not well cooked meat, either. _He's not a werewolf_,_ is he? _Harry wondered fearfully and he leaned away from the man.

Voldemort would not let a werewolf bite him, would he? _Of course he would, _Harry answered his own question. _When's the full moon? _Harry was already scared, but this added to his fear.

He was pulled closer to Voldemort and then pushed at his feet while the Death Eaters moved back.

Voldemort smiled and ran his hand through Harry's black hair. Trying to pull him back and away from the monster in front of him proved fruitless when Voldemort grabbed his hair.

"Not so fast, my child. Why would you want to run? We have such fun planned for you," Voldemort ran his other hand over the side of Harry face. He was still holding the black hair firmly.

Voldemort was smiling as Harry shivered. In the background, Death Eaters laughed at his obvious fear.

"What makes you think you'll be able to kill me now?" Harry asked mockingly. "You weren't able to before! Remember, _Tom_,that night at your father's grave? Tell me, why your father was buried in a _Muggle _graveyard--" Harry was cut off with a scream.

He realized that he was the one screaming, and that he was clutching at his scar while on the ground. Voldemort had let go of him, threw him backwards and was cursing him now.

Harry's back arched off the ground while he screamed from the _Crucio_ Voldemort had cursed him with.

After a moment, Voldemort stopped his anger from showing as he brought up his Occlumency shields.

"Are you done rambling now, Harry? We have much to do and so little time to do it in," Voldemort said.

Harry could not reply. He was still twitching pitifully on the ground, even though he had managed to roll over on his side.

Voldemort sighed. "You captives get more and more pathetic every time. You are the worst yet, Potter," Bellatrix boomed with mad laughter.

Red, hot fury drove Harry to stand up. He was proud of himself for managing that--the aches, they were everywhere. He just wanted to collapse. Bellatrix stopped laughing, but she was still looking eagerly between Harry and her lord.

Voldemort curled a long finger in Harry's direction. To the boy's horror, he found himself pulled toward Voldemort by wandless magic.

Harry tried to stop and planted his feet firmly in the ground. He only hurt his ankles in the process and dug up some dirt.

He came to a stop in front of the Dark Lord. Glaring hatefully, Harry tried once again to move away but Voldemort's magic held him in place.

"You know, Harry, I've thought about how I'm going to kill you many times before, but none of my ideas seemed just right. Then, you showed up with young Draco," Voldemort smiled.

Harry was frowning and wondering what new horror Voldemort was going to unveil.

"Imagine what your dear friends will feel when they find your dead body. I was thinking of sending it to them limb by limb, but I've decided on just sending your entire body," Voldemort said.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble in the past, Harry. Somehow, with nothing more than luck, you have managed to survive. But no longer."

Voldemlort paused and turned to face his Death Eaters. Harry took this moment to try to move. He could move his body but not take any steps.

"I have given a mark to my faithful Death Eaters when they anounced their loyalty to me. How ironic would it be, if I gave my most troublesome enemy the mark of my alliance?" Voldemort turned to Harry, who was standing frozen.

"You would be dead, of course, but I like the idea. Imagine your friends and family; what would they say seing their boy wonder with the Dark Mark?" Laughing, Voldemort turned back to his Death Eaters.

"What do you say; shall we give Harry here the honor of carrying the Dark Mark?" Voldemort called out to his followers. They responded with cheers, laughs, and jeers in Harry's direction.

Harry gasped. He wanted away. They could not do this to him! Not mark him, curse him, _damn _him with that disgusting tatoo. The evil mark that he knew Snape must hate. He couldn't let them do that to him.

Worse of all, if he died Voldemort could say he had joined him. Ron, Hermione, the Weasleys, Ginny, everyone he cared for--he did not want them seeing him with that disfiguring thing on his arm.

Voldemort was coming toward him now. "Get away from me you _bastard_!" Harry snapped.

He felt like screaming when he still could not move. "Harry, Harry, you're white, child. Don't tell me you're scared?" Voldemort mocked.

If only his mouth weren't so dry, Harry would have spit at monster in front of him again.

Voldemort flicked his wand in a smooth motion. Harry waited for pain in his arm. In fact he grabbed it, knowing it was about to spread through his arm just like what had happened to Wormtail a year ago.

There was no pain. Instead Harry found himself on his knees. The stone underneath him was cold and hurt his knees. Harry was still unable to move; Voldemort grabbed his left arm and held it still with his claw like hands.

He brought out his wand. For a moment, Harry thought it was his own, they looked so alike. Voldemort pushed up Harry's sleave with the slender, dark wand.

Harry gulped in apprehension. Voldemort was really going to do it! He was going to mark him.

_If you plan to save me, I'd really like it if you'd do it now! _Harry thought.

He fought the urge to look around for Snape's face. Voldemort gave Harry a conniving look and slid his gaze back to the skin of Harry's pale arm.

Pressing the wand over the middle of Harry's arm made the boy gasp. Bellatrix was laughing gleefully in the background while others whispered with different emotions in their voices.

It happened quickly.

Voldemort pressed the tip of his wand into the tender skin of Harry's arm. Harry gasped and tried to get away--then Voldemort spoke.

Quietly, his words accented with hissing as if he were talking in Parsetoungue.

Then the pain hit Harry. His skin was _burning. _

Voldemort laughed as Harry yelled in alarm and pain. The pain grew as the black burn spread into the skull; it made its way down the soft, unblemished skin.

Harry cried out and Voldemort released him from the spell that held him upright.

With a sob he could not contain, Harry fell over sideways. He cradled his injured arm to his chest. Voldemort mocked him with a few words he could not hear over his whimpers of pain.

His arm was still burning; Harry knew that if he looked his flesh was peeling, blood flowing down the arm. He could feel wetness sinking into his shirt from the blood. Then green eyes, closed in agony, were wrenched open by pure surprise. His left arm was pulled away from his chest by the cruel fingers that had caused the tattoo, which was now just about finished.

Harry could feel the toungue of the snake slowly burning into his skin, a slightly curling line of pure pain.

Then, the pain stopped increasing. The Dark Mark was finished; he was now marked as a Death Eater.

"Lucius, Aidan, get Potter," Harry heard Voldemort say. The monster's voice was much too happy; the urge to vomit suddenly came over Harry.

He fought the urge and barely held the bile back. Mouth salty and watering, Harry accidentally let out another sound of misery.

"What's the matter with the baby?" Bellatrix mocked, before she backed away laughing.

Limply, Harry was lifted of the ground by Lucius and Aidan's capable hands. He no longer had the energy to fight. Harry thought maybe his strength would come back in a few moments, after the shock wore off.

Pushed up against the wall, Harry grunted as both his arms slammed to the wall behind and above his head.

Through his hazy eyesight, he glimpsed a trail of blood on his arm from the bleary-looking Dark Mark on his arm. Not being able to stand the sight, Harry looked away quickly. He tried kicking out at the men tying him up. Sadly it only seemed to annoy Lucius, and Aidan laughed--before casting a cutting hex on him.

With an annoyed sound, Voldemort cursed Aidan as punishment.

Harry's eyesight was even worse now. The cut ran right over his eye in a straight line, right under his left eye, skipped to his lower chin then went down his chest. It was deep enough to bleed thoroughly, but not to cause major damage.

Magic held the ropes to the wall. Harry's legs were tied at the ankles and arms high over his head.

"Draco, come forward. It's time for you to prove your devotion to me," Voldemort said from his throne.

Through the blood in his eyes, Harry saw a white-faced Draco step forward and bow, deep and respectful.

"What would you have me do, my Lord?" Draco asked. Harry wondered if he was the only one to notice the clenched and shaky fists held stiffly at the blond's side.

Voldemort looked toward Aidan, "Give him the knife," he said smoothly.

Harry realized he had stopped breathing moments ago in agitation and dreadful expectancy and breathed deep.

From his robe pocket, Aidan drew a knife. It was large, but slender, new and clean-looking.

Voldemort took it and seemed to examine it fondly.

Then, he gestured for Draco to step closer. He then held out the knife like a fragile object.

Looking unsure and confused, Draco took it and ran his eyes over it. His grey gaze lifted toward Voldemort almost enough to meet his eyes.

"What will you have me _do_?" Draco asked again. His voice a touch desperate, it cracked in the middle of the sentence.

Voldemort made him wait, knowing that all eyes and ears were on him. Even Harry was waiting with baited breath for his destiny to be revealed.

Bright, red eyes, seemingly glowing with evil intention studied Draco, the Death Eaters and the back to Draco. Then, he spoke.

"I want you to slit Potter's throat."


	21. Chapter 21: The Great Escape

_**Previously: **__Bright, red eyes, seemingly glowing with evil intention studied Draco, the Death Eaters and the back to Draco. Then, he spoke. _

"_I want you to slit Potter's throat." _

………………………………...

Harry only just caught the quiver in Draco's form as he registered the words.

They couldn't expect Draco--what about killing him with magic? What about the Killing curse? His throat suddenly felt very bare and exposed.

"Well, I'm waiting," Voldemort, said impatiently. Lucius stirred uncomfortable a few feet away from Harry.

"I'm honored, my Lord," Draco murmured. Voldemort seemed pleased with his response.

"As you should be, Draco." The younger Malfoy gulped, and slowly but steadily turned toward Harry.

As Draco walked toward Harry, the latter began to panic. Malfoy had been brought up to be a Death Eater, his father was one, but did that mean he _was _one? _Does he really mean to kill me? _Harry's breath came a bit faster and he tried to slow it.

_Doesn't he realize that he's committing suicide? _Harry wondered.

Harry met Draco's gray eyes as he stopped before him. "You don't have to do this!" Harry whispered frantically, "You're killing _yourself_!"

Jaw clenching, Draco glanced at the knife at back at Harry. He seemed lost. "Now, Draco," Voldemort snapped.

"No! You don't have to be like this. Don't let him control you. Voldemort is not worthy of having followers. I bet you never knew he was a Muggleborn himself, did you? All he tells you is lies. He curses his followers. There is nothing to keep him from killing you at anytime or place. You're just a pawn to him--" Harry tried everything then Voldemort cut him off.

"Hold his mouth shut, Draco, and kill him." Voldemort was more than impatient. Harry felt anger that was not his own.

Harry gasped; he could feel pain in the mark on his arm, which had gone slightly numb. Draco lifted the knife, his hand shook. Harry gave him a helpless look that told him not to do it.

"You have no life here, Draco. You're a _slave, _one of the followers that Voldemort will use and abuse when he's angry. You could be _so much more_!" Harry said forcefully.

Draco looked him in the eyes, his grey ones wide with realization.

His arm dropped--and Voldemort screamed in fury.

"I said to _kill him! __Imperio__!_" Voldemort yelled at Draco.

Harry watched horrorstruck as Draco's spine straightened and his eyes became glossy.

He got a good view of the knife now as Draco brought it up again. The handle was silver with a design of ivy engraved into it.

The blond did not even seem to fight as he brought his free hand up, grabbed the dark hair and pulled it back, exposing the long pale neck for all eyes. All Harry could see now was the ceiling. "Fight it Draco--" Draco in turn tugged his hair sharply.

"Dra--let'm go," Harry tried to say, as his mouth was forced shut by another brutal tug. The hand was firm and strong as it held his head against the wall.

The blade felt cool against the skin of his neck. Instinct had Harry freezing up; he felt what little blood remained in his face drain out and was suddenly light headed.

Draco's hand held him still as he slowly pressed the blade of the knife into the taunt skin right under the jaw line. Harry did not manage to fight back a whimper of fear as thin rivulets of blood ran slowly down his collar.

"Catch the blood, Lucius. No use putting it to waste," Harry heard Voldemort say.

The mouth of a bottle added to the pressure on his neck. "Fight it, Draco--I know you can do it--" Harry managed to say and he felt relief for one second as the pressure stopped.

"Cut deeper," Voldemort commanded.

The blade cut a smooth line across Harry's throat. It surprised Harry; he tried to speak but instead made a gurgling sound that terrified him.

At that moment, Draco let out a scream that more of a gasp. He dropped the knife as if it was on fire and stumbled back a step.

Harry felt unconsciousness overcoming his need to stay awake.

………………………………..

Snape saw Potter go limp and knew it was time to go.

If only the wards would agree with him. _Hurry up and fall damn you! _He cursed in his mind as he watched Voldemort scream in anger and frustration.

Snape, on the other hand was extremely pleased with Draco. The damage done to Potter could still be repairable, thanks to Draco resisting the spell. If he had not stopped, Lucius or he would have had to interfere. Their cover would be blown a bit too early.

Draco was looking frightened as he stared at Potter's bleeding and fragile body.

"Finish the job Lucius while I take care of your son," Voldemort snapped reaching lazily for his wand. Most likely enjoying the expression of fear on Draco's face.

Lucius reached for the knife immediately.

Then--the Apparation wards fell. Lucius shot towards Potter just as they had planned. At the same time, Snape took his wand out as if he was going for Lucius.

Lucius Apparated with Potter, leaving the bindings swinging in their wake. Voldemort screamed in fury and fired _Crucio_ at the closest Death Eaters, paying no attention to Snape.

Snape had just grabbed Draco's arm. The boy was gaping at the spot his father had been.

Before he could ask question Snape Apparated him as well.

The sudden Apparation left Draco in shock for a moment. Snape studied the area for danger. The nearest house had been abandoned some time ago; the air smelled dirty because of the foul river nearby, but there were no people.

"What--Professor why--I--" Snape started pulling Draco to the nearest building. A rundown house Snape had hoped never to see again.

It was wooden and stained. Snape saw, with slight amusement, Draco curling his lip in distaste. "It will only be for a little while. I assure you the inside is much nicer," Snape said quietly.

"Where's Father? Is Potter okay?" Snape shushed Draco with a look and began undoing the many wards on the small house.

They replaced themselves immediately as soon as someone shut the door. Lucius would have been able to let him in, but it was more than likely that he was tending to Potter.

As the old door opened without a sound, and Snape pushed Draco inside. He saw that his thoughts were correct.

On the couch lay Potter. He was deathly pale and lying still. Lucius stood over him with a wet washcloth held to his neck to try to stop the bleeding.

As Snape came closer, he could see blood coming through the rag and between Lucius's pale fingers.

"The bleeding won't stop," Lucius said, not looking up as he checked Potter's pulse.

Draco was looking confused at his father's behavior. Snape went to get a few potions he knew he would need.

Snape returned from his small Potions cabinet with only one of two items he desperately needed.

Draco was standing beside Potter, looking lost. His father was muttering a spell over Potter's body. Snape was instinctively suspicious.

"What's that?" he snapped. Lucius did not spare him a glance as he came to a stop beside him. "He's shaking as an after effect of the Cruciatus Curse. The Dark Lord didn't hold back on that one," Lucius muttered.

"We have more to worry about than that. If we don't stop the bleeding soon, Potter won't be the Boy-Who-Lived any longer," Snape said grimly.

He opened the blood-replenishing potion; the top landed on the ground and rolled away.

"Draco!" Snape snapped. Draco came forward immediately. "Hold his head up, in your lap if nothing else," Snape commanded as he checked the bleeding wound.

Licking his dry lips, Draco lifted Potter's head carefully. With a nod from Lucius, Draco sat on the couch by Potter's head and kept the boy's head from moving.

"Good," Snape muttered distractedly as he gently pried Potter's mouth open. Then he tipped the potion into Potter's mouth slowly while massaging around the wound to help him swallow.

After the small flask was empty, Snape waited just long enough to make sure the potion would not come back up, and then he nodded and made his way to the Floo.

"I must have a blood thickener, it will help stop the bleeding slow--" was all Snape said before the green flames enveloped him.

…………………………_.._

Snape arrived in the Infirmary. It was empty except for a first year, who screamed before muffling it with her hands. Snape ignored the girl and headed for the medical cabinet.

"Severus!" Poppy came out from her rooms just as Snape was heading back to the fireplace.

"Tell Albus I have Potter, Poppy," Snape left the Mediwitch with her mouth opened as he flooed back to his dead father's house.

"Professor, he--he's convulsing!" Draco said immediately. His frantic voice, wide eyes and the words in his exclamation did nothing to calm Snape's nerves.

Potter was indeed convulsing. It would have been funny under any other circumstance, seeing Lucius looking so helpless.

"_Enervate_," Snape spoke. He frowned when Potter did not wake; it was not very surprising, though. The spell was mostly meant for stunned people, not for those with extensive injuries like Potters. "_Enervate!_" Snape spoke again louder and much more forcefully.

Potter stopped convulsing, gasped, and returned to consciousness.

………………………………...

_Why am I so bloody _cold_? _Harry wondered firstly as he opened his eyes. He frowned; a memory of someone holding him came back to him.

Harry wondered if it was dream. He could barely remember it. Was he safe? What was happening?

His entire body was shaking. Whether it was because of the coldness he felt, the curses he had been put under, or the blood loss, he was not sure.

"What's happening? M'cold," Harry thought he was going to say. However, all that came out was a sound like leaves moving. Trying to speak hurt.

Clenching his eyes closed, Harry brought a hand up towards his throat--just to have it pushed down gently on the mattress.

Harry opened his eyes to find some water and find out why he felt so horrible. Draco's wide and scared eyes stared at him, making Harry jump slightly. "Are you done _now_ Potter?"

Harry frowned. _Done with _what _exactly? _was what he wanted to ask, but he did not want to risk feeling the pain again. Instead, he glared--and then fought off wooziness and closed his eyes.

"Move, Draco," came Snape's voice. _Snape! _Harry tried to sit up. He was safe?

Three pairs of hands held him down; Harry saw Lucius Malfoy glaring at him and was aghast. He stopped moving long enough for Snape to shove a potion in his face.

"Take this immediately," he said. Harry decided to ask question later; he was feeling like he was going to blackout again.

The blood thickener immediately went to work, but Harry still felt between puking and fainting.

He lay there on the couch, feeling miserable as Snape's hands ran over his sore throat.

Draco's voice made him blink; he did not trust himself to open his eyes, though, so he listened. "I'm sorry, Potter. I managed to stop, but…I'm sorry it took me so long," Draco muttered.

Harry felt a surge of the panic he had felt when Draco had came toward him with that knife. He fought it down. He was safe--or it seemed that way. How he could ever feel safe surrounded by Malfoys, he would never know.

"I need to go. I'll be back," Lucius suddenly said. Harry had not yet replied to Draco. In fact, he felt like he was falling asleep again.

He heard Lucius stand and looked in time to see him Floo away. Harry looked for Draco. Not being able to talk yet, he reached for his arm. Finding it, he patted it. Draco snorted but did not move his arm.

Snape came close, kneeling on one knee to remove the bandages. Harry heard Draco look away from the wound.

"It's stopped bleeding some," Snape said. He told Draco to fetch a clean washcloth and then proceeded to wash the wound.

After that, Snape spread an ointment over the wound with careful fingers. "Why can't he talk?" Harry heard Draco asking Snape.

He looked to see the man looking reluctant. That in itself frightened Harry. It was rare to see Snape not snapping at something or someone.

"He may just need some water, or…you may have damaged his vocal chords."

Harry closed his eyes. Draco took a little breath and then left the room.

There was a short silence. "I'm sure you have many questions."

_Yes! In addition, it's bloody irrataiting to not be able to speak them,_ Harry thought, looking Snape in the eye.

The older man did not use Legilimency on him. Harry was grateful and not at the same time.

"I'll tell you what I think you would want to know," Snape said, he drew up a chair and sat.

Harry watched him, trying not to feel self-conscious about his feeble position.

"Lucius Malfoy came to me asking for help. Apparently the Dark Lord planned on killing you by using Draco. I do not know why he did not do it himself, and you will have to ask the headmaster when you regain the use of your voice."

Harry shifted on the couch; a spring was digging into his back. The movement awoke pains he had forgotten were there. Seeing his flinch, Snape stood. "I'll retrieve you a pain reliever."

Harry nodded; he was wary of moving again and sat stiffly until Snape returned. Seeing his rigid appearance, the man raised a brow while handing him the bottle.

"A cushioning charm, perhaps?" Snape offered. Harry could not help staring at the man as he nodded. Who would have thought Snape cold be civil? _And to me no less, _Harry thought while drinking the potion.

He nodded in thanks when Snape held out his hand for the now empty bottle. The twinge of pain reminded Harry that he _really should _try and keep his head still.

Harry felt like he was treading around needles, one wrong step and he would definitely regret moving at all. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and have Snape blow up.

With that in mind, Harry decided to let Snape speak first.

"I have been in the Dark Lords service for a long time, Potter. Until just recently, I was one of his most trusted followers. Bellatrix Lestrange has been muttering her dislike of me since I became a Death Eater; I do not know what changed but the Dark Lord started listening to her. I was no longer trusted or either being tested to see how I would react. I was not told of the Dark Lords plan to capture you using your uncle. If I had been it would not have happened," Snape said.

Harry felt guilty; he had not spared a thought toward his dead uncle in what seemed like forever. He may not have liked the man, but surely he should feel more remorse over what had happened to him.

Harry looked at Snape in time to see the man studying him. "I'm sure there was nothing you could do to prevent your uncle's death," Snape said. The words sounded weird to Harry's ears. Snape was not good at reassurances; he had no had enough practice.

The man looked toward the way Draco had gone and started speaking again.

"The Dark Lord had me staying away from you. It seemed that even my need to seek revenge on you for being a pain in my side no longer amused him," Snape said dryly. "Lucius was being kept away from his son as well; we devised a plan to get you and Mr. Malfoy away. The building you were kept in was protected by many wards, some for privacy, portkey, and Apparation."

Snape stopped talking again to check the wound on Harry's neck again. "It's stopped bleeding; don't move your head anymore," he said.

Sitting back in the chair just as Draco came back through the door, looking cautious, Snape continued.

"The Dark Lord has a generously-sized library. It takes up most of the building and contains many old manuscripts and books, along with the hundreds of wooden shelves to display them on," Snape said.

Looking curious, Draco sat on a chair to listen.

"Lucius and I set it on fire--" Snape was cut off as Draco let out a gasp and started choking at his deep breath.

Snape looked between amusement and annoyance and Draco got a hold on himself.

"You did _what? _And _how _are you still alive? He's going to kill you both--oh my God! I'll have to leave the country!" Draco ranted standing up to pace.

Harry took Snape's distraction and closed his own mouth before it was noticed. He gestured with his hand, spreading them in the universally known expression for 'why?'

"I was getting to that," Snape said with a dangerous glare. Draco saw and sat back down sheepishly, he was still looking worried about his own safety.

"The fire beat on the wards. They were mostly placed on the library due to the Dark Lord's paranoia that everyone would try and steal from him. It was stupid on his part not to have an alert built into the wards. As the fire beat at the wards, they fell, the weakest ones first." Draco was now staring at Snape for calling the Dark Lord stupid, but he had been warned already and did not interrupt.

"I had placed a simple notification on the wards to let me know when they fell," Snape said.

Harry wanted to ask if Voldemort knew the ward had fell, but his throat kept his from doing so. He reminded himself to ask later.

Then the Floo came to life--and out stepped Lucius. Draco stood up at seeing his father and then blinked at seeing his mother follow her husband out of the Floo.

Snape frowned and stood. Harry was feeling utterly helpless with all these people standing and him not being able to move.

"Why did you bring Narcissa here Lucius?" Snape said dangerously.

The Malfoys looked alert and Narcissa scared. Her appearance was not what Harry was expecting. She was almost fragile looking, with light blue eyes, long blond hair and pale skin.

Lucius pulled his wife toward him in a protective gesture while his face was grim.

"The Dark Lord is attacking the Manor," Lucius said.

**A/N: **I was surprised at the responses for giving Harry the Dark Mark. Have some of you seriously ever seen him get it in a story where Harry is not dark, creature or some other kind of fan fic? I'm afraid I _**won't **_be amputating his arm, lol. Look at it this way, _'he will mark him as his equal' _as one reviewer pointed out. If you find the response to your review weird, I was feeling rather old as I wrote them, I see feathered hats in my future. **Erurawien, **Lol, I love the quote at the end of your last review. Thank you for the feedback, it's nice to know I surprised you! **HopeHealer, **Thank you! **AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, **Here you go, now you know what Draco does. Hope you enjoyed the update! **Hobesan, **I'll take that as compliment, lol. **Reading Red, **That would be amazing if the dreaded dark mark on Harry acted differently. Sadly, I have already written what it looked like so I won't be changing that--but I can think of something that I could use Harry's dark mark for, thanks for the idea! **jayley, **I've never read a story where he has been given the dark mark, I think it would be fascinating to read about. If you can recall the title of one of those stories where you have read this happening, I'd love it if you could pass it along to me. I'm always looking for new stories. **tambrathegreat, **I'm glad you thought so, I wasn't happy with the way I described it. I just kept thinking of this horrible, black burn and this is the result, lol. Glad you are enjoying. **nikkila, **My dear, I shall not be as vile as to cut off my darling Harry's arm, do you take me for a commoner?! **Dark Angel, **(Blink's in amazement) Are you well? Lol, I think someone has had one to many coffee's, all jesting beside, I loved the review, thank you. **Mayatrau, Greywolf25, **Thank you, lol. **lucy62, **Thank you for your review, I so enjoyed reading it! **La-p'tite-tete, **you can't possibly think that Voldemort cares if Draco lives or dies? When has he ever shown compassion or even the slightest human emotion that's based around caring? I can't keep you reading, I've lost other readers as well, I'll still be writing. **blackrhino, **Not the first person to tell me they almost stopped reading, I'm aghast that some of you have so little faith in me (wink). I'll make it better. All they can go from here is up, thank you for reviewing! **black-hear-green-eyes, **The most uplifting review for this chapter, I was getting annoyed by the lack of enthusiasm and faith in me, lol. Thank you for restoring it Ash! **Yoroich.Is.Sailor.L **(Snort) You'll feel really bad if you did, I know it's annoying, it's annoying writing it and _I _know how it ends! Thanks for reading! **blue artemis, **Thank you for reviewing and not saying you almost gave up on the story or something depressing like that, I needed to read a good, inspiring review! **Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja, **Thanks for the great review! Nice name, lol. (grin). **TheLastCrumpet, **My oh my! What a wonderful review, thank you so much! **EelvenGirl, Myr, dead-marauders, **Lol, cool! I always have as well, and now I have people telling me they think it's annoying to read about. I've seriously never read it happening, lol. Thank you for reviewing!


	22. Chapter 22: Patience

Previously: _"The Dark Lord is attacking the Manor," Lucius said. _

……………………………….

"No," Draco breathed in denial. He was shaking his head in disbelief.

Narcissa Malfoy stepped toward her son; without sparing a glance at the others in the room. "Draco, I was so worried," she whispered into his hair, pulling him into a possessive hug.

Draco did not respond with words. Instead, he hugged his mother back, showing no intention of letting go. Harry could barely see his head it was buried so deeply in her shoulder. Harry wasn't sure whether to look away from the personal scene or not.

"I did not give you permission, Lucius," Snape said tightly He was watching Narcissa with narrowed eyes.

Lucius looked at him calmly. "The Dark Lord's followers were entering my house as I was looking for Narcissa. What did you expect me to do, Severus?"

Snape didn't reply, but instead turned to Harry who was trying to sit up.

"You, don't move! The last thing I need is the headmaster blaming me for you falling off the couch, and cracking your foolish head open!" He snarled at Harry.

_At least he's back to his old, snaky self, _Harry thought, staring at the man in slight horror.

He felt the need to stick his tongue out. Harry stomped on the thought, looked away, and lay back down.

The childish gesture would not only fail to impress the Malfoys, but who knew how Snape would respond.

_Probably grab my tongue and threaten to cut it off, _Harry thought, feeling his mouth twitch in humor.

Snape looked back up at Lucius, Narcissa, and their son. "We are leaving," he said to Draco without looking at him.

Heading to the fireplace he added, "I'll trust you _not _to kill Potter. Tell me if he develops a fever. We'll be at the headmaster's office."

Draco was looking alarmed. "But professor! I--what if something happens, _I will not _be responsible if Potter keels over--" Lucius interrupted him with one word.

"Draco," his tone was almost a warning. Draco seemed to deflate.

He still looked unsure about being left alone, but was trying to be determined.

"Yes, sir. I'll be fine," he said to his father.

Lucius nodded. He looked approving and Harry was sure he saw pride flicker in the man's eyes. Narcissa watched her son.

Her eyes met Harry's as she turned to the Floo. The look in them was concerned. She did not know how Harry and Draco would act around each other. _I'm sure Draco's told her something about our constant fighting, _Harry thought.

After they had left, the room seemed a lot larger to Harry. Draco looked at him. "Are you okay?"

Harry nodded. Frowning, Draco opened his mouth then stopped, just to try again. "I forgot, you can't speak."

Harry gave him a look of annoyance. _No, really? I didn't realize! _he thought sarcastically.

Draco smirked. "I think I like you better this way, Potter."

Harry's eyes widened before narrowing. _Draco--why am I still thinking of him as Draco? He doesn't deserve a first name basis,_ Harry's thoughts were angry and somehow disappointed.

Harry looked away so his face was turned to the back of the couch. Draco was still standing beside him and Harry forced himself not to look at him. At the same time, he forced himself to think of the boy opposite him by his first name.

"I'm sorry."

Harry's head turned to give Draco a curious glance. Draco looked troubled, "It's--partially my fault you're in this condition. I should not have mocked you for it."

Harry's wide green eyes watched Malfoy as the other waited for something to happen. Maybe for Harry to nod his acceptance and forgiveness? Harry wished he could snort.

Draco was only acting like this because his _daddy dearest _had told him, more or less, to be nice. Harry wanted to give him a cold look but he didn't feel like fighting. He was too tired to fight, he wanted some peace and quiet at the moment.

Harry nodded, hoping it would seem like the forgiving gesture it was.

Slowly, as if making sure he was welcome, Draco sat down in the chair Snape had preoccupied moments ago.

"I did try to fight the Imperius you know," Draco said slowly. "I may not like you but--I didn't want to kill you."

_I know, _Harry thought wishing he could say it out loud.

His pale hands twitched. Draco looked down at his nails in fake interest. Harry fought back a smile.

"I guess you wouldn't happen to know why they left…." Draco was referring to his parents and Snape. It wasn't really a question. Harry shook his head anyway.

Draco sighed, and glared at Harry when the other finally couldn't hold back a smile. Standing stiffly, Draco spoke. "I'm looking for some _edible_ food."

With that he stalked off. Harry lost his smile slowly as he waited for he return of Snape and the Malfoys.

……………………………..

Draco came back before Snape did. Harry was surprised to see no food with him. Had the house been abandoned and had no food left in it, or was the youngest Malfoy just too picky?

"Do you know who's house we are in? I've been looking around for clues of ownership, pictures, family crests and the like. I've been unlucky so far."

Harry was on the verge of sleeping. He wished the other boy hadn't disturbed him. His expression probably showed his annoyance, but Draco did not seem to notice.

"I think it's Snape's house," Draco said and Harry awoke immediately.

_Snape's house? I don't want to stay in Snape's house, _he cast a nervous look around the quiet room. Now that his head was not throbbing like earlier, and the Crucio effects had mostly worn off, he could make sense of his surroundings.

It seemed he was in the living room. The couch he lay on, and two large armchairs were in the middle of the room gathered around a scratched and stained coffee table. Then there was the kitchen chair. It was pulled up to the couch that Snape had sat in.

Cobwebs hung in the darkened corners of the room, the floor was wooden and needed a polish, a thin layer of dust covered every surface. _It looks like the kind of nightmare Aunt Petunia would have, _Harry thought dryly. He himself felt his fingers itching to get a broom and go at the floor. It desperately needed help.

Harry looked at Draco and slowly sat up, ignoring the other boy's protests. He tried to stand to--and that ended up with his legs collapsing underneath him.

Draco darted forward in time to hold him up and Harry gasped as he was pushed roughly back on the couch. Draco was scowling down at him. His hands were still on Harry's shoulders.

"Did you _not _hear what Snape said? He will murder me brutally if you get hurt, him and father. Saving you may be the only thing that keeps father from Azkaban!"

A headache was coming on. He really should not have tried to move. Harry lifted a hand to rub wearily at his forehead and Draco paused. "Headache?"

Harry nodded and winced at the jarring pain. Draco left the room returning moments later a vial in hand.

"This will help," he said and held it out to Harry.

For once Harry did not regard it suspiciously as he drank it down. He saw the surprised look on Draco's face and held back a grin knowing it would be misunderstood.

The headache started to fade after a moment and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He opened his mouth and tried to say thanks. Nothing came out, of course, but even trying to speak hurt.

Harry placed a his hand on his neck carefully, feeling the bandage. It wrapped all the way around his neck like a tight scarf. Snape had bandaged it so it did not make it hard to breath. A vision of his hand finding a bloody slit in his throat made Harry withdraw his hand.

Draco saw but made no comment.

Then the Floo burst into life, making Harry jump, which in turn startled Draco. Snape came through first looking much calmer than before when they had headed to the headmaster's office.

Draco stood looking between his father who had just entered and Snape. "Well, what happened?"

Lucius looked at him with a raised eyebrows. "Patience, Draco," he said lightly.

Draco frowned and crossed his arms looking stubborn. Oddly enough, it was Snape that took pity on him. "Your parents have sworn an Unbreakable vow with Professor Dumbledore, promising their allegiance with him."

Lucius now wore a slightly sour look and his half-lidded gaze found Harry watching him.

Arms falling limply to his sides, Draco gaped at them. "We've changed sides?"

Harry blinked in surprise. Had they really?

Narcissa nodded. "Your father can't go back to the Dark Lord and the manor has been taken from us. Becoming neutral was not an option. Therefore, Professor Snape took us to the headmaster. We have found protection in return for us aiding his war effort."

It was the most Harry had heard her say. Narcissa kept her tone friendly but factual. Near the end of her speech, she stepped over to Harry, who eyed her warily. He wished he knew where his wand was.

Slowly so that Harry would know she meant no harm, Narcissa held out her graceful hand. "I'm sorry to hear of what you have suffered, I hope you will regain your health in a timely manner," she said without a trace of sarcasm or coldness in her voice.

It was obvious she could be dangerous. Her light blue eyes taking in details and assessing Harry in a way that made him feel unprotected. Now, though, her voice was warm and sounded sorrowful.

Cautiously, Harry lifted his hand and took Narcissa's. Her grip was surprisingly strong, but not aggressive.

Slowly a smile came over her face. Not a full one with teeth showing, just slight, warm and content.

Narcissa's hand was also surprisingly warm. Or maybe, Harry's hands were just cold.

She patted his hand with her other hand before moving around the table to sit in one smooth motion. It seemed Draco got something from both his parents. Harry wondered how many pureblood children had parents like this.

"Will we live in the summerhouse?" Draco asked looking at the cobwebs in distaste. Snape saw and seemed to scowl and smirk at once, something Harry was sure only he could manage.

Lucius shook his head. "The Dark Lord knows the locations of many of our houses. Dumbledore said he would supply us with a boarding place until we can move back to a more familiar location."

"Where will we be staying? Not here, I hope," Draco said.

"This is Professor Snape's home, Draco, he's allowing us to stay here until arrangments are made. You should be grateful," Narcissa said disapprovingly.

Harry swallowed and glanced at Snape to see his reaction. The man didn't look concerned in the least.

"Forgive my rudeness, sir," Draco said obediently. He glanced at Harry with a look that dared him to say anything.

Harry couldn't comment, of course, but that didn't stop him from smiling sweetly at Draco.

"There is nothing to forgive, Draco. If it was up to me this house would have been burned down long ago," Snape said, coming over to Harry.

Harry couldn't help the flinch as Snape raised his hand. Snape frowned and glanced at his face but continued to place his hand on Harry's forehead.

"You have a fever, Potter," he said. Harry could have told him that. The professor's hand felt so cool against his forehead.

He was caught off balance when Snape pulled his hand away. Harry found he had been leaning on the callused hand. Straightening, Snape didn't comment, although Harry felt a light blush on his own face. Although it may just have been the fever, Snape left the room and Harry was feeling slightly dizzy.

Lucius had sat beside his wife and was watching the proceedings going on around him with bored interest.

"Lay down, Potter," Snape drawled as he came back in the room.

Harry didn't argue and closed his burning eyes against the light.

A flask was held to his lips. "Drink it slowly," Snape's voice said from above him. Opening his eyes just wide enough to see the vial, Harry took it.

He warily sniffed the potion while tipping the bottle. He smelled herbs like sage, and rosemary. The smell brought back memories of cleaning Aunt Petunia's small garden.

Harry grinned slightly. He could somehow taste the peppermint leaves he would snatch when he was sure no one would see.

What Harry recognized as Snape's hand, came to rest on his heated brow. Later, Harry would not remember the soft sigh that passed his lips.

He would, however, remember the amused words of Draco. "You laced that with sleeping drought!"

From above him, Snape chuckled. "We need to move, Draco. Before we can do that, Potter must heal some more. The best way to heal is with sleep. Let him rest."

Feeling comforted by the words and that hand still on his brow, Harry slept.

**A/N: **So here is your chapter, _please _review. Did you not hear the very-close-to-begging sound in my--er--typing? I need reviews, they are _preicoussssss. _

**Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja**, Thank you so much for reviewing! Well, if nothing else at least you know no one else could have a name like yours, lol. **coffee walnut, **You really think so? (Help my face is stuck in a smile!) **magiquill9**, I'll be sure to do that, it's horrible but I keep getting new ideas for this story as I write it, lol. **AnGeL oF mAdNeSs, **Thank you! **jayley**, I wouldn't dare leave Harry without his voice, that would be horrible! (Although the idea of him learning nonverbal spells intrigues me). **nikkila, **Voldemort marked when he really shouldn't have, he only does that to his trusted followers. He'll regret it in the end. **Stephanida****, **I like them too much to do that. Thank you for reviewing! **DarkAngel667****, **Are you sure you didn't overlook it? Anyway, thanks for reviewing. **blackrhino**, Lol, thank you. **Sonseeahray****, **A silent Harry just isn't any fun, so he will be able to talk again soon**. Buchworm13, **Thank you for all the reviews and support you have given! **La-p'tite-tete**, Sorry I misunderstood you, I got some disappointing feedback somewhere else, it adds up. Draco and Harry Apparated very near the same time, the bond would of course react, it probably would have hurt if one of the boys was left behind. There was not a lot if time for the bond to react though. Snape got Draco pretty quickly, while the DE were still in shock. **EelvenGirl**, **black-heart-green-eyes**, Thank you, I'm trying very hard to keep Lucius in character. Him and Narcissa make me nervous, lol. I bet Draco was going nuts, at least he's safe for now. **Erurawien**, Draco and Harry Apparated very near the same time, the bond would of course react, it probably would have hurt if one of the boys was left behind. There was not a lot if time for the bond to react though. Snape got Draco pretty quickly, while the DE were still in shock. I loved your quote again, for a second I was like 'what happened to the first mouse?' Then…I understood, and it was sad, lol. **tatajess**, Thank you, I to felt that the Malfoys were left out. The book was great, but I can't help but a few other things had happened as well. **TheLastCrumpet**, I'll have to be careful with Narcissa, she's a…mess to work with, lol. You don't want her to motherly, but you don't want some cold hearted thing either. **Cap'n Stella**, I didn't think you had abandoned me, (grin). Thank you for the feedback. Harry's future self coming back was just to warn him, he won't be making a reappearance. It has changed Harry's life though. Wow, your thinking is deep, lol. This is why I never watched those back in time shows! Lol, I don't know how the two different times would work. **SweetSouthernGal**, Thank you very much. **hobesan, **The DE thinking of Harry as their savior, now that is disturbing and yet a very cool idea, lol. **blue artemis**, **Tri-K, **Welcome new reader, thank you so much for pointing out the author of that story. I love a song called friend or foe, lol. Thank you. **Tamyka**, Thank you! **HopeHealer, **Thanks bunches! **TheCresentMoonWriter, **Thank you for reviewing and I hope the headache doesn't come back! **ImperialJedi**, Thank you very much for the continued feedback!


	23. Chapter 23: House of Black

Harry awoke abruptly. Gasping, his arms flailed as he found he was floating above the couch.

An irate Snape lowered him back onto the couch. "I'm moving you, Potter."

Harry sat up, shaking his head furiously. Being helpless and floating in the air around the Malfoys, whom he still didn't trust, was not going to happen. He did not like the idea of Snape levitating him anywhere. The man had not been to bad to him lately, but he wanted to walk on his own two feet to wherever they were going. Harry made a promise to himself in his mind.

Wherever they were going, Harry would get there by standing and walking.

He was strong enough for that. Being carried around would only happen if he was unconscious.

Standing up, he looked over Snape disapproving scowl to the Malfoys standing next to the Floo.

_I can walk, _Harry tried to say with his facial expression. He tried not to let it show that his vision had darkened and that he was feeling dizzy.

"Potter--" Snape growled. Harry cut him off by waving his hands in a 'no way' expression.

Snape sniffed and turned to the Floo. "I'm will not be held accountable if you black out, Potter."

Harry nodded in agreement but couldn't help the small grin on his face. He couldn't believe Snape was not going to argue any further. He walked slowly over to the Floo, not missing the glance Snape gave him. The Floo burst into green flames. Harry was confused when Snape did not speak the name of the place they were Flooing to, but he did not question the man.

"Since you're so eager, Potter, you can go first," Snape said folding his arms. Draco smirked and folded his arms in imitation of Snape. Lucius and Narcissa watched without talking.

Harry was very close to rolling his eyes, but he settled for an exasperated look and stepped into the flames.

Around him, scenes of living rooms and kitchens flashed as he traveled to his unknown destination. As always, his landing was less than perfect. Harry fell out of the Floo and would have landed on the hardwood floor if not for the arms that held him up.

"Harry!" said a familiar voice full of relief.

Before he could back away, Harry was being pulled up and hugged until his ribs hurt.

Harry inhaled, trying to breathe in the crushing hug. He wished he could talk. Mrs. Black portrait started screaming, adding to the confusion Harry was feeling.

The Floo came back to life from behind them and Sirius quickly pulled Harry away. Around the room, most of the Order was standing. The Weasleys were there, as well. As soon as Sirius let go of Harry, his place was taken by Mrs. Weasley.

"Don't you _ever _do that to me again!" she said hugging him. Her voice sounded tearful.

Hermione was hopping from foot to foot behind her. "Harry you had me--us so scared!"

"Are you alright?" That was Ron trying to dislodge his mother from Harry. "Snape said he was injured, Mum!"

Mrs. Weasley gasped and withdrew, "Oh, I'm so sorry dear. Are you okay? Why is that bandage around your throat?"

"Oh my God, Harry, what happened?" Hermione was asking as she pulled him toward the living room.

"Harry, dear, where _are _your glasses!"

"Why isn't he talking?" Tonks asked. Harry could barely see her. She was standing beside Remus, Mad Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Professor McGonagall.

Snape started talking from the Floo as the Malfoys came in. "Potter can't speak. His vocal chords were damaged. I suggest you get Madam Pomfrey instead of standing around like a bunch of fools," he snarled.

"I'll get her," Professor McGonagall said with an annoyed look at Snape. Harry was relieved and sighed a little through his nose. His legs were starting to feel heavy.

There was silence as the Malfoys finished Flooing in. Harry was disgusted to see how gracefully Draco managed to exit the fireplace.

"How did his vocal--" Mrs. Weasley cut herself of. "Screaming?" she questioned softly and in horror.

Harry truly didn't think it possible, but Draco paled even further. Lucius's face hardened slightly and Harry was sure he shifted to stand closer to his son.

Ron and Hermione froze as they waited for a reaction to the question. Remus flinched and came over to Harry, "Let's get you out of here, Harry."

Harry gave the man a grateful look as he was led past the others to the sitting room. The bond started pulling Draco along as well and the boy went.

Tonks smiled at Harry and took his hand patting it affectionately. Her blue gaze went to Draco for a second and she gave him a stiff nod. Harry knew they were cousins, Tonks turned back to him.

"I hear you spat on old Moldy," she said. Her hair turned purple with pink highlights.

Harry nodded with a grim look. Remus gently pushed him onto the couch. The werewolf had his hand gently on the bandage. "What was Severus thinking? You should be in bed."

Harry looked away and a slight tremor ran through him. Mad Eye came in with the others and he frowned seeing the tremor.

"After effects of _Crucio_," he grunted. "Where's Pomfrey?"

Madam Pomfrey's voice answered him, "I'm right here. Now, Mr. Potter, what have you gone and done this time?"

Harry tried not top smile and she gave him a stern look. Remus was smiling lightly at him. Sirius barreled into the room to stand next to Harry as Pomfrey ran a diagnostic spell over him. Voices outside the sitting room door were getting louder. Harry frowned and glanced at it, hearing Ron's raised voice.

Pomfrey stood up and pointed her finger at the door. "Out! All of you--fine Sirius, you may stay--but the rest of you, _get out._"

No one was brave enough to fight the wrath of a mad Poppy Pomfrey and they exited the room except Draco. He got Madam Pomfrey's glare, but she knew he had to stay.

"Calm that boy out there!" Madam Pomfrey called just before the door shut.

She went back to her spells. Sirius went around the back of the couch. He seemed excited, nervous, and happy all at once. It was tiring for Harry just to watch the man. "When you get better, I'm _never _letting you out of my sights again," Sirius said reaching down the back of the couch to grasp Harry's hand.

The door opened again and Snape entered. "Oh good, you can tell me how much damage has been done, the spells will only inform me of the…." Pomfrey trailed off.

Surprised, Harry looked up at her. Madam Pomfrey's face was ashen, but what scared Harry the most was the way she was looking at his left arm.

Knowing that she now knew, Harry looked away. "Poppy? What is it?" Sirius asked in concern as he dropped Harry's hand and stood. His eyebrows were crinkled in confusion as he looked between Harry and Pomfrey.

He stepped around the couch going to Harry. Snape spoke up, "Poppy!"

The woman jumped and gasped, "I--I'm sorry. I--I must have lost myself for a moment."

Harry wondered if Sirius could see through the lie--or at least how Madam Pomfrey's eyes kept going back to his arm.

Snape stepped closer as Sirius was just beside Harry--and reaching for his godson's left arm. From behind them, Draco inhaled loudly.

Snape placed his arm on Sirius's arm, stopping him. Sirius looked confused and then angry. "What's going on, Snape," Sirius growled.

Snape watched him with guarded eyes. Those same eyes then turned to Harry, as if he were asking permission to tell. Harry bit his lip. He knew the truth would have to come out at some time…he just didn't want to see the reactions of his friends.

"Dumbledore thought it would be your decision," Snape said to Harry. His pale hand was still holding Sirius still.

Harry did not want to keep secrets from his godfather; the man's confusion was making him feel guilty. So he nodded to Snape. Cautiously the man let go of Sirius who was looking suspicious.

Madam Pomfrey bit her lip and crossed her arms. Snape cast a locking spell on the door to hold out any unwelcome visitors and Harry--Harry pulled his left sleeve up.

Harry was carefully watching Sirius's face as a horrified expression came over it slowly. "How--" Sirius trailed off and Harry bit his lip, wishing again that he could talk.

Harry didn't look down at his arm, to the disfiguring mark so ugly against his skin. He felt sick thinking about it. Even now it tingled with pain. With a lurch Harry realized that Voldemort could call him now.

A hand grasped his chin, turning Harry's head. Sirius's blue eyes were sad; Harry knew he himself must look pathetic.

Then, Sirius hugged Harry. It surprised him in more than one way. Sirius had not demanded an explanation, a_nd he's hugging me in front of Snape! _Harry thought in awe.

Knowing this made him feel content, and he bit his lip hugging Sirius back.

"I know you didn't want it, kid. We'll find a way to get rid of it," Sirius murmured comfortingly in Harry's ear. Harry wished he could tell the man how much those words meant to him. Nevertheless, even if he had his voice back, he wasn't sure he would be able to express his gratitude in words.

"Sirius, I need to finish working on his throat," Madam Pomfrey said.

"Oh," Sirius drew back, "Of course." He ran his hand briefly through Harry's hair, and then went to the door saying, "I'll tell the others you're okay. Ron and Hermione haven't slept one minute since you disappeared."

Harry smiled at that announcement. While he didn't like the idea of them worrying, their care made him feel at home.

Then Madam Pomfrey was telling him to lie down, and Snape was leaving the room as well. Draco shifted uncomfortably. He had been quiet through out the meeting. Harry gave him a glance and pointed at a chair. Draco got the message and sat.

………………………………..

"Your throat should be healed enough to talk by tomorrow morning," Madam Pomfrey said as she packed up her healing equipment.

Harry gave a slight smile and in a rare act of affection, she patted his knee. "Don't even try to talk until Professor Snape tells you to, and if the others get to be too much, shoo them out!"

Harry smiled. Madam Pomfrey could always be counted on to car about her patients' privacy, even around their friends.

As soon as she had left the room, Ron and Hermione came in warily. Harry saw how Hermione was biting her lip, and he grinned to try to ease her worry.

"Oh, Harry!" She exclaimed running the few stepps to wrap him in a choking hug.

"What happened? Did the ferret do this to you?" He gave a hate filled glance at Draco who looked sick. "Why's he here? Sirius doesn't like it--" Ron said as he clapped Harry on he back. His brown eyes ran over the bandage on Harry's neck to the blankets Madam Pomfrey had tucked in around him.

"Are you sleeping down here? I can help you up the stairs," Ron said, his eyebrows pushed together in brotherly concern and question. He seemed uncomfortable around Draco, but was tolerating it.

Harry wished he could talk, not for the first time in ten minutes.

"Whatever happened affected his voice, Ron," Hermione said as she let go of Harry and kneeled in front of the couch. Her hold on Harry's hand was warm.

"The Malfoys, Sirius, Professor Snape, McGonagall and most of the Order locked themselves up. Fred and George already tried listening in. Moody came outside and gave them this _horrible _look," Hermione said with a little laugh.

Ron sat near Harry's feet. "Hurry up and get your voice back; I want to know what happened," he said with a surly look.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm just glad you're safe, Harry. We're supposed to be going back to Hogwarts in a few days; you should be able to back then, too, right?"

Harry nodded a little. He wished he had a way to ask the questions in his mind. Pulling his hand out of Hermione's, he mimed writing.

"Oh! Yes, I'll get you some parchment and a quill," Hermione said. She shot up and out of the room.

Ron blinked looking after her. Then with a wary glance at Draco; who was studying the fllor, he leaned forward. "I'm glad you're back, mate. I was worried, too," he said in an uncomfortable whisper.

Hermione came back in the room. Ron frowned. "He didn't ask for a book," he said with amusement and exsasperation.

Hermione put the book in Harry's lap, "It's something for him to bear down on, Ron."

Her sensible words had Ron muttering something with a faint blush. Harry ignored them and wrote, 'Will all the students be coming back to Hogwarts?'.

Hermione frowned as she read it. "I--I don't know!"

She looked at them both. "This could be bad. I never thought of it! Someone might think Hogwarts isn't safe--they could try to close it down--"

"Hermione, calm down," Ron said grabbing her flailing arm.

"I'm sure Dumbledore has it all figured out--" then Ron faltered and Harry grabbed the quill again.

'Where _is _Dumbledore'? he asked. Ron shook his head and shrugged reading the upside down paper.

"We haven't seen him since the attack," Hermiuone said. "I think the Order is wondering the same thing, but they don't say anything around us."

Harry sat back and thought that over. Had something happened to Dumbledore? The Headmaster and deafeater of Grindelwald seemed so invincible. Could something have happened when none of them were looking? What would the Wizarding world do if the only person Voldemort feared was dead or injured?

Snape must have talked to Dumbledore, maybe if he asked kindly the man would give him an answer. He'd have to wait until his voice was back. The idea of Snape reading his paper messages didn't seem likely.

The door opening had the three friends turning from their own quiet thoughts.

Sirius came through the door. Most of the Weasleys trailed after them, Fred and George reached the couch first.

"Tell us, did you drive You-Know-Who so mad that he just had to send you back?" George said with a grin.

"George!" Mrs. Weasley scolded looking agast. Harry grinned, though, and wrote, 'Yep, I made fun of bunny slippers and he kicked me out'.

He handed the parchment to George, who laughed while Harry tried to find a more comfortable position on ther old couch. He didn't take Fred and George's question seriously. They were just trying to lighten the situation.

It was what they were the best at. Harry appreciated the humor. Anymore drama or surprises, and he was going to audition for a soap opera that his aunt had liked to watch.

"You want to move upstairs, Harry? We can squeeze you into between Ron and--Malfoy's son." Sirius said. Harry heard the pause and the tightening around Sirius's eyes showed he was not pleased to know there were Malfoys in his house.

"We have to sleep next to the ferret? He'll choke us in our sleep!" Ron exclaimed, standing up.

Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Wealey winced, and although Ron didn't catch it, Hermione was watching.

Harry knew they had not been told about what Draco had done. It wouldn't be long before he would have to tell Ron and Hermione, if one of them didn't figure it out first. They knew he had been tortured, but not who had a hand in it.

Harry was helped up the stairs and into the room he had shared in the summer with Ron. Though he was sure no help was necessary, he allowed it. His friends and Sirius still seemed worried that he was going to dissapear.

For Harry it gave him a new experience, for he had never seen Sirius act so--caring.

_But isn't this what you wanted? _Harry asked himself as he threw himself onto the bed.

They had finally let go of him and it was kind of funny to see their expressions as the bed bounced slightly.

Harry settled himself on the pillows and waited to see what was going to happen next.

Mrs. Weasley shooed them out with a promise to bring Harry some water. Harry listened to his friendds for a few minutes. Hermione was helping Ron make his bed while telling him it should have been done long ago.

He let out a little sigh of contentment. Who thought he would enjoy his friends light bantering? It was a familiar sound, and the sheets were cool as he scooted beneath them.

Harry fell asleep before Mrs. Weasley returned.

**A/N: **I have to give a big thank you to all the reviewers, I have not received that many reviews since chapter eleven! It really lifts an authors spirits, thank you guys! If I ask again in a voice oozing honey, will you review?

**La-p'tite-tete, Erurawien**, the kitchen was only the next room over--and I'll be so happy when Dumbledore get's rid of that bond, lol. I adore your quotes, never seen reviews that had them before. **tatajess**, **blackmoonsilver**, Wow, thank you. You had me grinning for hours, lol. **rosiegirl**, **Stephanida**, **jayley**, **black-heart-green-eyes**, **blackrhino**, **GinnysLove**, Eithier H/G or H/OC, I can not say which because I have no idea, lol. You won't know until the sequel. **Murgy31, lucy62, BohemianSnitch, TheCresentMoonWriter, **Congrats, it is hard to like Narcissa sometimes. Thank you for reviewing! **EelvenGirl**, **Aisucold**, Thank you for all your feedback! **goldentree**, It certainly was necessary, although I'm sure nobody was happy about it. **charmedgrl4ever**, Thank you. If I may ask, what is the language at the beginning and ayt the ending of your review? **White Water, **Thank you, it was originally just a Harry and Snape story but I had to fit in Draco, lol. **Hobesan, **Yes, Snape has Harry's wand, thank you for reviewing! **nikkila**, The POV will be with Harry for the remaider of the story, thank you for reviewing! **J** Thank you very much. **SilverThreads, TheLastCrumpet, Buchworm13, **Thank you, (and I have to agree, the LotR movies were SO much better). **Phoenixx Rising**, **Naughty Little Sausage**, This won't be slash, no worries. Thank you so much for your detailed and uplifting review! **Rock'n'Slash**, **Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja, mysia, EchoingBoredom, **You made review number 530! Thank you for reviewing and teaching me words I never knew, lol.


	24. Chapter 24: Removing The Bond

"--don't need you lecturing me Weasel--" Draco was saying when Harry returned to consciousness.

"I _have_ to know you understand me Malfoy, and _don't _call me that!" Ron said in a biting tone.

"I was under the Imperius, Weasley! I'm saner than to try and kill Potter while my life depended on it--it's not like I would hurt him if I wasn't in this situation so stop looking at me like that!" Draco said from a few feet away.

Harry decided to listen to his Slytherin side and stay 'asleep' for a while longer.

"Why would you _not _hurt Harry if you weren't bonded to him? You haven't changed Malfoy, I know that much," Ron spat back.

Draco made a sound of frustration, "This is pointless Weasley, and I'm not going to injure your precious Boy-Who-Lived, so--"

"You don't understand at all Malfoy," Ron said in a lower voice. "Harry's my _friend_. I don't want to see him hurt anymore than you want to be turned back into a ferret. He could have died and _it would have been your fault._"

There was a short silence.

"I tried to fight it--you were under that curse when Moody was the Defense teacher, you couldn't fight it either," Draco said.

"But how do I know you tried, Malfoy?" Ron said.

"You don't know, you'll just have to trust me when I say that I _did not want to harm _Harry."

"…You said Harry!" Ron exclaimed. Harry's eyes were wide with surprise. He closed them quickly.

Draco quickly tried to fix his mistake. "I meant Potter. Hearing you say his name repeatedly made me say it."

Harry hoped this was just a cover up. If he could stand to call Draco by his name, he wanted the same in return. At least until the bond was gone.

Ron continued like he was dismissing the past minute. "Anyway, if I hear you're mean to him, you'll wish Voldemort had killed you."

Harry didn't know what to be more shocked about, the fact that Ron had said Voldemort without flinching or the fact that he was threatening Draco. Threatening Draco in itself was not that incredible, but the fact that Ron was doing it to protect Harry….

The door to the bedroom shut and Harry realized that one of them had walked out. Harry figured it must be Draco that had stayed. He pretended to wake up.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. The morning sun made the room brighter, when he had first awoken the sun had almost made him cringe back into the covers, now he was used to it. As he opened his eyes, he put on a sleepy expression and lifted a weak hand to wipe his eyes.

"Very theatrical Potter," Draco said dryly.

Harry faked confusion, and raised a lazy eyebrow. "Your eyebrows are crinkled when you sleep," Draco said. "I imagine you have been awake to hear Weasley threatening me?"

Harry sat up and wished he could make some funny comment, 'You watch me sleep? Eww,' But since Snape was not here to tell him he could talk, he only nodded.

Draco shook his head and took a few steps toward Harry. In his sitting position Harry suddenly felt a bit small as Draco stood over him. He wondered if the Malfoy heir was going to punch him in some random act of violence.

Draco just folded his arms and studied Harry who stared back challengingly. "As much as it pains me to say it, Weasley is--a good friend for you to have."

With that said Draco turned around and looked at his unmade bed. "Are there any house elves in this dump?"

Harry ignored this to think about what Draco had said before. Ron must have impressed Draco somehow. Harry smiled slightly. It seemed Ron had inherited some of his mother's protectiveness, it was slightly embarrassing. Harry hoped Ron didn't think he couldn't defend himself, while he may have been injured he could still fight.

Although part of him wanted to tease Ron for this, Harry decided that he shouldn't.

Harry got up and went to find some of his clothes. Harry smiled and started changing.

Snape came in as he was tying his shoelaces. Harry glanced at where he stood in the doorway and stopped what he was doing. Snape frowned at the hopeful expression on Harry's face, like he didn't want to be the bringer of good information.

"Unfortunately for young Mr. Malfoy and myself, you should be able to talk again," Snape said as he crossed his arms.

Harry smirked slightly and continued tying his laces. He ignored Snape who was still standing in the doorway, and Draco who was watching expectantly.

"Did one of the Weasley twins glue your mouth shut, or is that just wishful thinking?" Draco asked in exasperation.

"You're a real prat," Harry said, pushing the blond lightly as he headed to the door. His voice sounded slightly wrong in his own ears. A bit scratchy, but nothing to wince at. Harry moved past Snape who looked close to rolling his eyes.

"The first words you've spoken in almost twenty-four hours, Potter, and that's what you say?" Draco asked in amusement.

Harry looked back up the stairs where Draco was coming after him. Snape hung back, watching them but not speaking.

"What did you want expect me to say?" Harry asked. His throat felt a bit sore.

"Something memorable. Classic. You did not exceed expectations," Draco said with a haughty look.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Sorry, I'll go back to Voldemort and we can try again."

Draco paled and flinched slightly. As they arrived on ground level, Snape headed for the living room, leaving Harry to head for the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Ron was sitting at the table with a half full plate. Besides Mrs. Weasley and Remus the kitchen was empty.

Draco looked around the place with a muffled shudder. Harry hid his annoyance well. He didn't like the house either, but Draco was only here because of Dumbledore and Sirius's kindness.

"Harry, here is your plate, dear. You're skin and bones," Mrs. Weasley said with a pat on his cheek.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley." Harry was scared she was going to cry when she heard him speak. Fortunately, she turned her new found joy towards Draco. He looked scared.

"Draco, I consulted your mother and I think you'll enjoy these bangers. She said it was how you liked them," Mrs. Weasley said with a motherly smile.

Draco watched her warily and then stared at his plate suspiciously when she turned away.

"We wouldn't poison you in Sirius's house," Ron said with a frown. Draco nodded, he didn't look assured. It didn't help that Ron muttered, "We'd wait until you were leaving."

Draco pushed his plate away and glared at the redhead opposite him. Harry leaned forward with a sigh and stabbed a sausage with his fork. Taking a bit out of it, he chewed and swallowed. "There, see? I'm not dead--" Harry pretended to gag and went still.

Ron snickered while Harry could feel Draco's glare burning into him.

He straightened up. "No poison. Eat it and be happy you get to eat," Harry said pushing the plate under Draco's face.

"You'd know, wouldn't you, Potter?" Draco said and then, with picky movements, ate some egg.

Ron frowned in confusion and looked at Harry questioningly. Harry ignored the look and ate.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked when he was almost done. He had not seen the witch since last night, and it was late morning now.

"She went to her parents' house. She's going to stay there until we have to return to Hogwarts," Ron said.

Harry nodded. "It'll be good for her to spend some time with her parents," he said.

The food was wonderful. He told Mrs. Weasley so then offered to help clean the kitchen.

"Oh no, I couldn't let you do that dear. I'm sure Ron would be happy to help," Mrs. Weasley said.

Sirius poked his head into the room. "Harry, can you come here a second?"

Harry nodded, pushed away from the table, and stood. "Sure Sirius," he said with an apologetic look back at Ron. His friend gave a shrug and ignored the smug look on Draco's face.

Harry followed Sirius to the room Snape had entered earlier. Around the oval table were Snape, Tonks, Mad Eye, Remus, Professor McGonagall, Mr. Weasley, Bill, and the elder Malfoys. At the head of the table sat Dumbledore.

"Harry," Dumbledore greeted with a smile tinged with sadness. "I'm exceeding happy to see you up and about. Sit please. You as well, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco sat beside Harry, the only seat left.

"I have asked you all to come so some serious matters could be made clear," Dumbledore began.

"Firstly, the Malfoy's have sworn their aligence to aid our side of the war. Due to very recent events, this was necessary." Aged, blue eyes traveled to Draco and then to the barely noticeable scar on Harry's throat.

"Voldemort has lost two of his most trusted followers and one that could have become a great benefit to him. This will leave him uneasy, but liked a caged animal he could attack at any time. I have my suspicions…" Dumbledore looked at the people gathered around the table and Harry felt he was missing something.

"It is unlikely that Voldemort will leave Malfoy Manor. When we are assured that the other residences owned by the Malfoys are safe, they will move."

Harry wondered how many other houses the Malfoys could own. _They don't seem particularly worried, _Harry thought. But then, it was not every day you could read emotions on a Malfoy's face.

Lucius and Narcissa were attentive, but not overeager. It was weird seeing them there, so close, and without looks of dislike on their faces.

"I also wanted the Malfoy family to know that I will be removing the bond I set upon their son." Dumbledore smiled at Harry when the boy sat straighter to grip at the arms of his chair.

"I think your punishment will come to mind if you feel the need to throw punches at each other again."

Harry glanced across the table and saw how Lucius was eyeing the headmaster. He knew just as well as the other that the bond was not actvated because of any punishment. His son had been used. Lucius knew this and while he was not likely to forget it, Harry didn't think he would act on it, either. For the moment, Lucius was at Dumbledore's mercy. Harry bit his lip and turned back to Professor Dumbledore.

"One more thing before the meeting ends. During the few days in captivity, Mr. Potter had the Dark Mark forced on him--" Dumbledore was cut off as Tonks fell out of her chair from shock.

Mr. Weasley turned to Harry slowly, and the boy watched as he turned pasty. Tonks's hair had turned black; Harry didn't think she knew it as she was staring at him in pitying sadness.

Bill's hands were clenched into fists of anger. He glared at Harry's left arm, where the Dark Mark lie.

Uncomfortable with their inquiring and astonished gazes, Harry looked at his lap.

"Harry, will you show them?" Dumbledore urged him.

"Dumbledore," Snape said quietly. Harry looked up. Snape was frowning at Dumbledore. His tone had been discouraging; he seemed agaist forcing Harry into showing the others.

Harry had to agree with the man. Wasn't it bad enough that they knew?

Dumbledore relented. "I'm sorry Harry. You need not do anything you're not comfortable with."

Harry bit his lip and continued to stare at his lap where his hands were clenched. He could feel Draco's eyes on the side of his face. Harry turned away to hide his pained expression.

"If that is all…" Dumbldore said. Everyone except Sirius and the Malfoys nodded or stood. As Remus walked past he clapped Harry warmly on the back. Harry returned the gesture with a halfhearted smile.

He knew he should be happier. Voldemort had not managed to kill him or harm anyone he loved, he was finally being released from the bond, and he was going to return to Hogwarts in a day or two. But somehow, he couldn't dredge up that feeling of happiness or even contentment that he thought was needed.

Harry was linked to Voldemort through the Dark Mark. He had seen the reactions of the others: anger for his sake, and pity. It was just more attention directed at him than he needed or wanted.

The door shut behind Mad Eye Moody and Dumbledore stood. He gestured for Harry and Draco to step forward.

They did, although Draco had his hand laid casually over his pocket where his wand lay in wait.

Harry held back a smile at the paranoia Draco was showing; it reminded him of a certain Auror. The boy did not speak his thoughts though. He didn't think they would be welcomed.

"Stand facing each other, boys. Removing the bond is more difficult than putting it on," Dumbledore said.

Feeling a pit like a puppet, Harry turned and faced Draco in front of professor Dumbledore.

Draco stiffened as Dumbledore raised his wand, but the old headmaster just smiled understandingly and waved the want in a gentle, unthreatening movement.

Dumbledore's lips moved just the slightest as he removed the bond that had caused chaos.

With a finishing swish, Dumbledore stowed his wand back in his pocket.

Harry was the first to speak. "Is--that all?"

"Is it finally gone?" Draco asked with an unsure but hopeful look.

Dumbledore smiled at them and nodded. Harry felt like a weight had been lifted off of him. He could read his book from his future self in peace now, have _real _privacy, and go wherever he wanted. Harry planned on using his returned freedom many times during the next week.

Draco smiled a slow, devilish grin. Harry watched in slight fear, what would happen now? With no explanation for his expression, Draco turned to go stand next to his watching parents.

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore," Harry said in relief.

Dumbledore chuckled. "You're more than welcome. I'll take my leave now."

Lucius Malfoy nodded and he left the room. Harry watched as Narcissa nodded peacefully at him and Draco smirked.

Dumbledore was heading for the fireplace, and Harry walked over. "Professor?" he asked quickly.

Dumbledore turned and waited. "Can you--er, _not _tell everyone at Hogwarts about my--the--" suddenly Harry found his throat couldn't form the words needed, so he nodded to his left arm.

With sad eyes, Dumbldore nodded. "I can and will do that Harry. Remember though, that you had no choice in the matte. It was forced on you. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Keep your eyes level, my boy."

Taking in these words, Harry nodded.

"I'll do that, sir," Harry said with a firm nod. Dumbledore used the Floo powder held out by Sirius to make his leave.

Harry heaved a sigh and grinned when Sirius ruffled his head. Together they headed out of the room.

**A/N: **Save an author, give a review. **TheCresentMoonWriter, DeliaDee, tatajess, **Thank you, once I get up to a thousand words the chapter usually flies. I'm going to try to keep it up. **jayley, Erurawien, BohemianSnitch, blue artemis, GinnysLove, TheLastCrumpet, Aisucold, charmedgrl4ever, **Thank you.**27 Second to Reality, Hobesan, Rainbow2007, Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja, Phoenixx Rising, La-p'tite-tete, tambrathegreat, **Thank you, I hope Ron made you proud, he barely held back his temper (trust me on this). Thank you for reviewing. **EelvenGirl, Tri-K, nikkila, helloyou! goldentree, Cap'n Stella, DarkAngel667, **I don't really respond to a lot of reviews unless I'm happy or they have questions that I can answer. Of course Sirius will die…everyone hast to die eventually. **blackrhino**, Thank you, I love humor, It's contagious though drink plenty of fluids after reading this.


	25. Chapter 25: Calm Before the Storm

As Harry followed Sirius up the stairs, he looked behind him and was thrilled that Draco was not following him. He would no longer need to, and Harry was joyfully readjusting to privacy.

Sirius saw his smile and chuckled. "I can't imagine being stuck to someone I detested for so long. I'd go crazy. You suffered it very well, Harry."

Harry let himself beam. His face warm with enjoyment.

"Thanks, Sirius. I thought I would go bonkers at times," Harry admitted. Sirius nodded and glanced back down the stairs as if he could see the Malfoys.

"I can believe that," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'll never understand them, and I'm glad of it."

Harry laughed and they entered the room with the Black family tapestry. Harry walked over to it as Sirius headed for a table with as few books stacked on it.

"I found these the other day, before you were kidnapped. I had planned to send them to you, but this will work as well," Sirius said with a smile.

Harry took the books curiously. "What are they?"

"There called books," Sirius said slowly. Harry rolled his eyes as Sirius chuckled.

"I meant why give them to me?" Harry asked impatiently.

Sirius shrugged. "There books on Defense Against the Dark Arts. I thought you could use them for your group."

Harry looked at the books with new interest. "Thanks Sirius. You sure you don't need them here?"

Sirius waved away the thanks and leaned forward. "Your dad actually gave me that black one there. I'm afraid it's got a lot of notes in from both me and him. It's still usable though, just well used."

Harry put the rest of the books to the side. He didn't miss Sirius's small smile, and Harry opened the book looking for his father's notes.

He could tell Sirius's writing immediately. A surge of surprise and delight made Harry grin as he saw that his father's writing was a lot like his own, maybe a tad bit messier. Something else he noticed, was that his father wrote in all capitals.

Harry turned the page. It seemed this book had gone through many boring history lessons. Sirius and James used the side of the pages for conversations. _Hermione would have a fit if she saw,_ Harry thought.

"I'm pretty sure these books don't mention any dark magic," Sirius said. "I looked them over pretty well."

Harry nodded. "Thanks Sirius, I'll enjoy these." Sirius went over to the old tapestry with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Since the Malfoys have switched sides, I'm betting…" Sirius trailed off. A laugh rumbled up from his chest, and a grin spread across his face.

"What?"

Harry came closer and saw three burn marks where the Malfoy's names had previously been. "I bet Kreacher did that," Sirius said with a smirk.

"Is he very aware of what goes on in the Order?" Harry asked. Sirius frowned and nodded.

"Unfortunately," he grunted before turning away. Harry frowned and watched as Sirius left. With a shrug, he retreated to his bedroom he was sharing with Ron and Draco. Maybe he could learn some new spells before he was called down to lunch.

……………………………….

After only a few hours with the books, Harry had already learned many new spells, and had a few lessons planned. He was ready to go back to school.

Harry bit his lip and went to find something to eat. On his way down to the main floor, Harry heard some voices talking and paused shortly.

"--realize what you have done! Running to _Dumbledore_? Of all the wizards why him? He'll use us for his own needs, just like he does with the rest of his bloody _Order_ and Harry bloody Potter!"

_That's Draco's voice, _Harry realized.

"Draco, this is not the way a Malfoy acts under pressure--" Narcissa tried to say, her voice exasperated but kind.

"Malfoys don't burn down powerful wizards' libraries either," Draco said with a snort.

Harry could hear Lucius speaking, but had to move closer to hear the exact words.

"--selfish, switching sides is a decision that had to be made. The Order helped me save you from the Dark Lord. He was going to kill you Draco--I knew he was powerful, that was the main reason I followed him, but he cared nothing for your life."

Lucius paused, Draco was quiet now. Probably sulking from being scolded, and rightfully so. Harry knew the Malfoys were more than uncomfortable in their new environment, but they had not wanted it. It had been more or less forced on them by Draco coming so close to death.

"You are my only heir. I will not see the Malfoy name die along with you. Change happens; this is one of those times. Now, stop being a brat and face the challenge that life has handed to you. We shall only be here a few more days. Black has told me, although grudgingly, that the library is open to you so you can study. I suggest you take the chance."

There was a mumbled answer. Harry hurried out of the way and down the steps as the door opened.

At the bottom floor, Harry looked up in surprise. As if, he had not expected Draco to descend after him.

Draco didn't speak, but pushed past Harry with a glare and headed toward the library.

Harry glared after him, and hurried on his way to the kitchen. He found it empty, but a note lay on the table in Ron's messy handwriting.

_Harry, _

_Mum found me playing chess in our room, had a hissy fit saying I should be studying. __Therefore, she's taking me home where she can 'keep a better eye on me', ugh. Sorry mate, I'll see you back at Hogwarts, don't let those prats get to you! _

_Ron _

It seemed Ron didn't care if one of the Malfoys read the short message or not. He had left it out in the open.

Harry sighed to himself and went to the cabinet for something to eat.

………………………………..

Twenty minutes later, Harry turned away from the stove to see Draco in the doorway. His gray eyes surveyed the mess Harry had made in the process of fixing his lunch. Since Draco didn't seem inclined to speak, Harry filled the silence.

"Hungry?" he asked. Harry's voice was bright and cheerful. Draco frowned at him.

"Depends on what it is. If you've managed to ruin perfectly good food, and turn it into some Muggle dish, I'm not interested." Draco stood in the doorway and crossed his arms stubbornly.

No doubt, he was waiting for the words that would make him sneer in distaste. Then he could turn and exit the room leaving Harry to wonder at him, but that didn't happen.

"It's spaghetti," Harry said as he turned the sauce down to low. While he did not understand the differences between Muggle dishes and the kind of food Draco ate, he was sure that everyone must have had spaghetti at least once.

From the way Draco came closer to the stove; Harry was positive that his assumption was correct.

"I don't like hunks of meat. If you insist on acting like a house elf; make sure you cook the meat right," Draco said as he peered into the saucepot.

Harry nodded. "Giant meatballs, gotcha."

Draco glared and moved away with a sound of annoyance. Expecting the sound of the kitchen door slamming, Harry was surprised when Draco stopped and turned around.

"Do--you need some help?"

At any other time, Harry would be laughing at how Draco seemed to choke on his sentence, but offers to help were rare when it came to Draco.

"You can set the table, if that's all right," Harry said. It sounded more like a question, but Draco accepted it.

"Where would one find the plates and silverware?"

Harry told Draco where the plates were, and then went on a hunt for the silverware. This was the first time Harry had worked in this kitchen. Usually Mrs. Weasley was around to do the cooking. Not that he minded too much. It was nice to know he did not need to rely on someone else to feed him.

Draco set the table with a careful eye. Harry was just glad he seemed happy with one fork, and the old napkins.

Harry didn't bother looking for Sirius. The man had seemed moody, Harry decided he would put some up for his Godfather when they were done.

Feeling pleased with his efforts, Harry turned the heat down on the stove and started preparing plates.

………………………………..

An offer to help never came from Draco, and Harry put the leftovers up himself. The Slytherin placed his napkin on the table and then retreated to the library.

The mild scolding Draco received from his father still seemed to be on his mind. Harry had tried twice at a light conversation; no response came from Draco in the form of words.

Harry gave up and went up to his bedroom. Professor McGonagall had been nice enough to bring Harry his truck, so he took advantage of that and dug through it for his old Defense books and got the ones Sirius had just given him.

The kidnapping might not have happened if he had been more able to defend himself. Since he was not comfortable with the idea of physically working to defend himself, he decided to study spells he could practice for when he was back at Hogwarts.

It was amazing how little he knew. So much, he had not known before. To think of all the times he could have used these spells he was reading about, and how much they would have helped him, made Harry feel sick. His lack of knowledge could have got him killed.

A lot of it could be blamed on the DADA teachers. There as always something that happened. Because of that, Harry did not have the amount of understanding that he needed.

_And if I don't, no one else probably does either,_ Harry thought.

This thought motivated him and pushed him to read until dark. If no one else would step up to the task of teaching children and his friends how to defend themselves, he would do it instead.

Draco came in and did a double take at seeing Harry surrounded by books. Looking up, Harry caught Draco's inquisitive expression, but remembering the unsaid refusal about talking at lunch, Harry ignored him.

He caught pale fingers close into fists. Draco's irritation made Harry grin. Fortunately his expression was hidden by the thick book.

After a few uncomfortable movements, Harry looked up. He suddenly felt like he had been reading all day. Well, he _had _been reading all day. So Harry stood up from where he had been sitting Indian-style on the bed.

A glance toward the window showed that it was dark outside. Not feeling hungry, Harry decided to get ready for bed. Tomorrow afternoon he was supposed to go back to Hogwarts. If he got up early tomorrow morning, then he could pack his trunk and still have time to read some more.

While Harry was collecting his clothes, Draco came over to his bed and started thumbing through the books.

"Why do you have so many on defense?" Draco asked.

Harry stapped searching for his socks. "Er, just--trying to get better at it. Work out any wrinkles, learn some more."

The silence made Harry look up; Draco was looking at him with disbelief. "What?" Harry asked defensively. The attention Harry had received in the past was never because of anything good. He warily wondered why Draco wold be surprised to see him studying. Did he think Hermione did all the work? Or that Harry wasn't able to do it himself?

"You're good at Defense; it surprises me that you would study so hard on it when there are other subjects that could use your concentration. Potions, for example," Draco said with a one armed shrug.

He never looked up from one of the books Sirius had given Harry.

Harry bristled. "Sirius happened to give me some of these books today. I wanted to see how much more advanced they were from my schoolbooks."

"You've been in here for a long time. It seemed like you were sulking--"

"Well I wasn't!" Harry snapped. He scowled at Draco, and at his own loss of patience with the Slytherin.

To further fuel Harry's fiery temper, Draco smiled slowly. Harry knew what the blond was doing; he had been in numerous situations where Dudley put him in the exact same position.

So, why did he just have to throw a punch at the smirking face? Because at that moment, it was the only way Harry thought he could wipe the look of Draco's face. Ducking, Draco laughed at Harry--and then his foot hit Harry's knee. The sudden attack came complete with sound effects unhappily provided by Harry.

"Ohh," he moaned as he suddenly found himself on the floor.

His anger was forgotten, and the pain in his knee; which he clutched to his chest, was the first thing on his mind.

The Death Eaters had liked cursing his limbs particularly.

Phantom pains of numerous Crucio's made Harry's limbs spasm. He bit his lip to fight back the blush of embarrassment as he glimpsed Draco standing just outside his vision.

A softly placed hand descended on Harry's shivering shoulder. "Are you okay? Should I get Pomfrey?"

Draco's nervous voice made Harry feel silly. It was just a little pain, nothing like what he had suffered not even two days ago. He was reacting from memories more than he did from when he was tortured!

Harry pushed himself up with an expression of self-disgust covering his face.

Draco peered at him. "If you're going to go tattle to your doggy dearest, know that I only kicked you in self defense. You tried to punch me first. It's not my fault you reacted the way you did."

Harry gaped at him and resisted the _humongous _urge to lunge at him, make him _beg _for forgivness-- Harry quickly stopped himself from thinking along that line any longer with a firm shake of his head.

"You're not worth my time, Dr--Malfoy. You always make excuses. For someone as _dignified, _and _old _as your family is, you really have bad manners!"

With another firm nod, Harry turned with his head held high and exited the room.

It was only after he had slammed the door to the bedroom, that he realized his nightclothes were in his arms. Instead of leaving them in his bedroom, he had brought them with him.

His freezing feet informed him he had left his socks in the room as well. Sighing, Harry headed downstairs. Even though he didn't think it was necessary, his excuse for coming downstairs would be to tell Sirius good night. And if his godfather could not be found, he would fetch a glass of water.

He found Sirius in the kitchen eating the leftovers. Harry grinned as Sirius looked up from the bowl of spaghetti. "Enjoying yourself there?"

Sirius nodded and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, something he would have never done in Mrs. Weasleys prensence.

"I was starving," Sirius said with a grateful look at his almost empty bowl.

Harry laughed. "I can see that," he said, glancing at the bowl.

"You know who cooked it?" Sirius asked. "I thought Malfoy's wife may have, but its uncomfortable enough being in the same room with them. Imagine me trying to make conversation!"

Sirius put on a wide-eyed expression that Harry had to laugh at, and his godfather winked at him happily. Harry was suddenly glad that he had left his and Draco's room.

"Actually, I cooked it," Harry said as he sat opposite of his grisly looking godfather.

Sirius blinked comically. "You? No way, you were dreaming kid. I told Pomfrey not to give you too many sleeping pills."

"No, seriously. I cooked it. Draco helped set the table, ask him if you don't believe me."

Sirius finished the remaining noodles with a sad expression. "I believe you, but where did you learn that? Cooking was never one of your dad's talents."

Harry frowned lightly, "Well, maybe I got it from Mum. I am _both _of their kid," he said with impatience.

Sirius 'hm'ed' a response. Harry forced himself to look away, lest he frown at his momentarily happy godfather.

"Plus, the Dursleys helped."

Sirius looked up from the table. "How so?" he asked suspiciously.

Harry's dislike for his only remaing blood relatives was common knowledge between those that knew him personally. The idea that any of them had taught him a life skill was skeptical. No wonder Sirius looked so wary.

Harry shrugged wishing he had not brought it up.

"I cooked for them sometimes, helped them with dinner…" Harry trailed off and stood up to get a glass of water for his suddenly dry throat.

He could hear the frown in Sirius voice. "Did you do this a lot?"

"Yeah," Harry replied as he poured his water into a glass. "Not that I minded," he said hastily. "It's something I need to know. It came in handy today, for instance."

Sirius made another noncommittal sound. Harry was getting really fed up with those sounds. They made him nervous.

With a quiet sigh, Harry excused himself to go to bed. Sirius stood up to give him a one armed hug, and then Harry ran up the stairs.

Draco was siting on his bed when he entered their room. "I'm sorry I kicked you, if I had known it would hurt you--well I _probably _wouldn't have done it."

Harry laughed and Draco tried for a hesitant half-smile that looked more like a frown.

"It's okay--but if you try it again I'm sicking my dogfather on you _after _I beat you up myself."

Draco winced and got in bed, "You fight dirty Ha--Potter, I'm impressed."

Harry snicked as he quickly changed and got into bed as well. "Gee, thanks--I think."

As he turned of the light, Draco asked teasingly, "Ever think of joining Slytherin? You might have some potental there." He chuckled at his joke.

"I already changed the Sorting Hat's mind once; if I tried to do it again they might throw me out!" Knowing this would catch the Slytherin by surprise, Harry grinned under his blanket, and waited for the explosion.

Draco yawned. "Yeah--what do you mean by that?"

Harry heard the sound of someone turning around hurriedly. "Potter? What did you mean? If you're asleep--I'll--transfigure you dear doggy into a poddle!"

Harry bit back a snort at the idea of Sirius transfigured into a pink poodle.

"I heard that, Potter! You'd better anwser me," Draco growled from across the room.

Harry ignored the blond, and quickly fell asleep.

**A/N: **Check out my HP forum, we rate HP fan fiction and we _**really **_need your help, link is in my profile! Also, I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo, so while I hope that updates will not slow, but if they do you now know why. Next chapter you get some answers, so be sure to review!

**Hobesan, jayley, tambrathegreat, Murgy31, Twinfetish, MangaFreak15, La-p'tite-tete, TheLastCrumpet, black-heart-green-eyes, jargon, fattoad, blue artemis, Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja, GinnysLove, Cap'n Stella, phoenixgirl83, efi_fefi, DarkAngel667, Phoenixx Rising. **_Thank you all VERY much! _


	26. Chapter 26: Learning of the Prophesy

Harry was in a haze, his mind wandering pleasantly toward sleep. Demons had been waiting on the edges of his mind all day. He had tried to keep himself busy lest thoughts of his captivity come to mind.

He'd much rather forget the searing pain that went across his neck. Now, a few uncomfortable tinges reminded him of the ugly scar. Madam Pomfrey had told him that he could be rid of the scar as soon as the cut was fully healed.

Harry was content with how the day had gone. Comfortable with the blankets that surrounded him in warmth, he fell into unconsciousness.

His own hell began almost immediately.

_The phantom pains came back, coursing through his skin like the blood that flowed in his veins. Except now, the pains were stronger, and the people that caused them were back as well. _

_White masks, sinister laughter that echoed in his pounding head. No one was going to save him; he would be tortured and then die. He could not stop the hope that death would not be too far away._

_The curses and pain that followed were never far away. He learned quickly to never let his guard down. His shoulders stayed hunched in constant wariness. _

_There it was. _Crucio, _the favorite of many of the Death Eaters. It was followed quickly by a cutting curse that was healed just after he jumped from feeling his skin split open. _

_They couldn't have him bleeding to death before it was time. His arm, the smell of burning. Green eyes glancing down to the burned pink flesh that was quickly turning black, like charcoal or shiny obsidian. _

_A low wail, he hadn't wanted this. When would he be set free? His captors had to be getting bored, Harry was so tired he was ready to lay down and sleep--and possibly never wake. _

_That was not possible, he was held tight. No one was coming to free him, no one cared enough. _

_Then, the faces changed. No more laughing could be heard, the air filled with tension. The Death Eaters moved between shelves lined with smoky, round baubles. _

_In between them moved Voldemort. His dark cloak made his deathly, pale skin seem translucent, red eyes moved slowly down the shelves as him and his followers walked together. _

_The Death Easters had their wands out, Harry could almost hear one of them licking their lips in anticipation. Or was it fright? The emotions were high, they differed from each person. _

_Harry felt overwhelmed amidst them. _

_Then, Voldemort stopped his slow walk. Bending down, he picked a bauble up from a lower shelf, and then held it near his eyes. _

"_There you are," he whispered in triumph. A smile spread on his dreadful face, Harry felt scared and had to look away from the sight in front of him. _

_Then, the sound of doors flying open made him spin around. Beside him; the Death Eaters did the same. Harry recognized Fenrir Greyback as the werewolf growled out a curse. _

_The red cloaks of Aurors, and a few familiar faces shooting deadly spells is what shocked Harry out of his nightmare. _

"Gasp!" Sounds of violent thrashing filled the darkness until Harry's eyes flew open.

Panic had him in its grasp. Remnants of the pain he felt in the dream had him shaking uncontrollably. Wrapped up in his own trauma, he barely noticed the alarmed voices as he took gasping breaths and tried to calm himself.

Then, like a lifeline, arms wrapped themselves around his trembling shoulders.

Harry took a deep breath into his comforter's shirt. The smell of Sirius made him relax slightly. Even still, his heart was still pounding in his ears.

"Shh, Harry, it's all right. Take deep breaths," Sirius's voice was calming, but Harry heard the tinge of fright and felt the arms that were holding him tighter than needed.

"I'm--okay," he said as he glanced up and met Draco's curious gaze.

Harry looked away quickly. In the dream he had seen Draco, but he had not been certain just who's side he was on.

An image from the nightmare came back, and with it came understanding. He knew where Voldemort was.

"The Department of Mysteries," Harry whispered and saw the hallway in his memories. That had not been in his dreams for quite some time; and among the excitement, he had forgotten it.

Sirius froze. Then, quickly he pushed himself an arm length away from Harry. "What did you say?"

The very air seemed cold and tense as Sirius stared at Harry in shock.

"Voldemort's in the Ministry of Magic!" Harry said. He tried to get up, but Sirius pushed him back on the bed and quickly headed to the door.

"Stay there," Sirius yelled as he descended the staircase.

Harry turned and met Draco's inquisitive gaze. "What's happening?" Draco asked.

A shrug answered him and Draco frowned. "I'm not staying here. I'm going to find out what's happening." He stopped before leaving the room, "I'll come back and tell you if I hear anything--are you okay?"

Harry rubbed his forehead where his scar was prickling like a itchy bug bite.

"I'm okay I guess," he said with another helpless shrug.

Draco left the room. Feeling lonely and worried about whatever Voldemort was doing now, Harry sat up and went to his trunk. Digging his invisibility cloak out, he threw it over his shoulders, retrieved his wand, and went down the staircase.

He found Draco with his ear pressed up against the door to the living room.

Not wanting to give away his position, Harry stood back a few feet and waited. He could hear Sirius's voice through the door, probably talking to someone through the Floo system.

He could not make out any words, and from the expression of frustration on the youngest Malfoy's face, it seemed Harry was not alone.

Then, the door opened and Draco stumbled back. Sirius raised an eyebrow at him, but only watched as Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably and walked with little dignity to the kitchen.

Harry moved as quietly as he could to get out of Draco's way. In the doorway, Sirius rolled his eyes before shutting the door back and presumably going back to the Floo.

Deciding that going upstairs would be best, Harry quickly went back up the stairs before someone should notice him missing from his room. As he passed the upstairs library, Harry heard the Malfoys talking.

His feet slowed, as he got closer. Lucius and Narcissa's rooms connected to the library. Biting his lip, Harry inched into the library.

He was still not comfortable with the Malfoys so close by. They weren't to be trusted, he did not care _what _Dumbledore said in this case. An unbreakable vow didn't change someone.

Being careful of the creaky spots on the floor, Harry crossed the room to their bedroom door, which was cracked. He hoped to hear something about Voldemort's latest scheme.

It did not seem like Sirius would tell him, and there was no other person in the house who might know. Lucius had been one of Voldemort's most trusted; surely, he had heard something of a planned attack before he changed sides.

Harry peeked into the Malfoy's room. He had to slouch so the cloak covered him completely.

"--Black running downstairs, I imagine that's what is happening," Lucius said as frowned down at his arm where the Dark Mark was hidden under his long sleeves.

"Why would the Dark Lord attack the Ministry, Lucius?" Narcissa asked her husband from her spot in a chair, a crease of confusion marking her forehead.

Lucius turned and sat down at the small table where their tea was waiting.

"I believe he has need for something in the Department of Mysteries," Lucius said as he stirred his tea. "I don't know all the details, bits here and there that Macnair let slip and Severus has told me a little."

"You're holding back on purpose," Narcissa accused, her lips tight a frustrated look in her eyes.

"Narcissa," Lucius said in fain exasperation, "you know as well as I do that the Dark Lord's followers like to twist their words. I can't separate the truth from their lies."

Reluctantly, Narcissa nodded and waited.

Lucius took his time, Harry noticed. Even though the elder Malfoy did not let his emotionless expression change, Harry was sure he was amused at Narcissa's impatience.

Harry himself was impatient, and barely holding himself back from strangling the silent man. What had Voldemort been after? Was he finally going to find out?

"It was said that there was a prophecy made between the Dark Lord and Potter," Lucius said.

From outside the door, Harry stiffened. A prophecy? Surely if there was one about him and Voldemort, someone would have told him?

It could be a lie, or a rumor. Lucius had said the Death Eaters liked to twist their words; this had to be one of those occasions. Harry continued to listen anyway…just in case.

"Even the Dark Lord supposedly doesn't know it all, one of the Death Eaters told him part of it I was told. Whatever he was told made him attack the Potters."

There was a short silence in which, Harry found his nails had put small scratches on the door from his tight clutch.

"Who told the Dark Lord of this prophesy?" Narcissa asked.

Harry leaned around the door without realizing it. Lucius opened his mouth to respond and Harry held his breath.

"I think--" Lucius was cut off as Harry's foot slipped and made a muffled sound against the floor. As Harry straightened with a terrified look on his face, Lucius stood and waved his wand.

Lucius snapped out, "Show yourself!" Harry was too frightened to move, he was going to die on the _**spot. **_

_Damn it, _Harry thought. It seemed stupidity killed the cat, curiosity was just framed. Why did he have to eavesdrop? If Lucius found him, the consequences were endless.

"_Accio invisibli_--" even as Lucius spoke, the door to the Malfoy's room opened. The elder Malfoy cut his words off and stared in irritation around the room before confronting the potions master standing in the doorway.

Staring at Lucius who was tucking away his wand, Professor Snape raised an eyebrow. "Did I interrupt something?"

Lucius moved away from Harry to the boy's relief. "Actually, you did. I think there is--was someone in my rooms."

"Hmm," Snape looked around the rooms with a disbelieving expression. Lucius shot him a frustrated look before finishing his tea off with one final gulp.

"Was there something you wanted Severus?" Lucius asked.

"Albus is back. You and Narcissa are needed in an urgent meeting," Snape said and moved to the side so the Malfoys could pass.

Narcissa banished the tea with a reluctant face and headed for the door. "I'm going to see that Potter and Draco have not killed each other yet," Snape said and Lucius chuckled on his way down the stairs.

Harry waited until the room was clear. He would have to lie to Snape and tell him he'd been in the library, or the kitchen. Hopefully the man had not just come from one of those rooms.

As he exited the room, Harry was taken by surprise as a pale hand reached out and grabbed his collar. Gasping and choking, Harry struggled and Snape let him go but kept a grip on his sleeve and looked at him sternly.

Or tried to look, the cloak kept the potions master from seeing Harry's face. "Show yourself Potter," Snape hissed.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Harry pulled the cloak off and stared at his feet. Any other time he would proudly stare Snape in the face, but now Harry was well aware he was in the wrong.

_But I did get some interesting information, _Harry told himself. He planned to ask the headmaster about it as soon as possible.

"Would you like to explain why you were hiding in the Malfoys' rooms and listening in on their conversation?" Professor Snape asked.

"Not really…." Harry murmured.

The grip in his sleeve tightened and Harry winced a little but relented. "I wanted to know what V--You-Know-Who was up to. I thought since Mr. Malfoy had been in his inner circle, he might know something."

Snape let him go and crossed his arms. Harry lifted his eyes and met Snape's. "What, if anything, did you learn?" Snape asked him.

Harry bit his lip. There was nothing to tell him if the prophecy he had heard about was true or not. He needed to see Professor Dumbledore; he would give him answers…right?

"Mr. Malfoy said someone told part of a prophecy to You-Know-Who. He's at the Ministry of Magic because he wants the rest of it, isn't he?" Harry watched Snape closely for his reaction.

He was rewarded when Snape seemed to pale slightly. Thinking it was because of the mention of the prophecy, Harry continued.

"That's what he's after, _isn't_ it sir?" Harry pressed.

"You were supposed to be blocking Potter," Snape hissed as he grabbed Harry and marched him up the stairs toward his bedroom.

"I was!" Harry protested. "Maybe my nightmare helped lower my defensive shield," Harry continued as he tried not to fight the hold on his wrist.

"What nightmare?" Snape asked. Harry stiffened at his slip of the tongue.

_Great, now all the Slytherins will know. Brilliant job stupid, _Harry scorned himself.

"I had a nightmare, that's all," Harry said with self-resentment in his voice. He should not have been having nightmares. He was too old.

"Occlumency should have blocked nightmares," was what Snape said. "What did the nightmare involve?" To Harry's relief, the Potions master did not sound disgusted with Harry, just curious.

"Me--being captured by the Death Eaters," Harry said and Snape nodded. Harry glanced at him as they reached the landing where his and Draco's bedroom was. There was something about his face that was not normal. His chin seemed stiff and his eyes harder than usual.

As Snape opened the bedroom door and pushed Harry in, Draco stood up from the bed he'd been sitting on. "Where have you been?" he asked as he looked curiously between Harry and Snape.

Surprisingly, Snape did not say anything about Harry sneaking into Draco's parent's room, and for this Harry was very grateful. It was hard enough sleeping in the same room with Draco, and not only because he had a very infamous history with Harry.

Pulling a vial out of his robes, Professor Snape handed it to a curious Harry. "Dreamless Sleep potion," the man explained shortly. Nodding to a slightly offended looking Draco, Snape left to go to the meeting downstairs.

"What were you doing? Why wouldn't Snape tell me?" Draco asked a few seconds after their door shut.

Harry gazing at the vial that promised him a good nights sleep, did not answer. _Oh nothing, just creeping into your parents bedroom like a thief, _Harry thought dryly.

At least Snape had not said anything; Harry thought his honesty had something to do with the man's silence. In a sudden burst of understanding, Harry connected the emotions he had seen on Snape's face with words.

_He's afraid, or at least a bit worried, _Harry thought as his eyes widened. But of what was Snape scared of?

Harry thought back to his short conversation.

_Mr. Malfoy said someone told part of a prophecy to You-Know-Who. He's at the Ministry of Magic because he wants the rest of it isn't he? _Harry repeated his previous words in his mind. If Snape's curious reaction wasn't about the prophecy…could he possibly know who told Voldemort part of the prophesy?

"Do you _really _want me to tell you how ridiculous you look right now?"

Harry stopped staring at the opposite wall and ceased in biting his nail, "No, I don't," he said with a glare at a grinning Draco.

"We'd better finish packing," Harry said. He was looking forward to his return to Hogwarts, not so much the classes, but planning the DA meetings and testing out his new spells.

As Harry gathered his new books, hoping that they would all fit in his trunk, he spotted a letter lying partially under Draco's pillow.

Suddenly remembering his letter from Sirius that had gone missing so long ago, Harry decided to ask Draco about it. While it was possible he could have taken it, Harry found himself doubting it.

"Before all this happened, when we were--er, fighting?" Harry said. He was uneasily aware of how unsure he sounded and hoped Draco did not notice.

Draco turned around and stared at Harry suspiciously, "What about it?"

"Well, I had a letter and I was just wondering--if you took…it."

He almost didn't finish the sentence when he saw Draco nodding. So he had taken it.

"Where's it at now?" Harry asked, more then a little angry Draco had not returned his property to him.

Draco shrugged and Harry's fists clenched. "Why not?" he bit out between clenched teeth.

"Your little girlfriend took it."

Harry stared at him. "Who?"

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed exsaspertly. "Oh Harry, your animagus form is so pretty!" He mocked in a high pitched voice.

Harry abruptly remembered the Slytherin girl that had told him that…and the memory picture he had of her in his brain suddenly grew horns.

"What do you mean she took my letter?" Harry exclaimed. A circle of giggling girls reading out Sirius letter…no, please no.

Draco laughed at his expression. "Settle down, Potter, she threw it in the fire. Didn't like the idea of me reading it outloud to my friends…I have no idea why," he added innocently.

Harry blinked. "Better of burned and gone than in your hands," he said.

The laugh that seemed to explode from Draco; made a surprised Harry stare.

"That--that's what she said!" Draco said in between laughs and making kissing noises.

Harry flinched. "The forbidden romance, a Slytherin and a Gryffindor…wonderful, I'll never hear the end of it," Harry muttered and kicked his trunk.

"Like Romeo and Juliet. Wait until Professor Snape hears," Draco chuckled.

A trembled theatrically, "Oh, heaven help me," Harry muttered. "Wait--you read Muggle literature?"

Draco muttered something about the kitchen and retreated. Harry laughed and finished packing.

…………………………

Less than an hour later, Harry heard the members of Order departing.

Draco had already come back from the kitchen; but he said nothing to Harry.

Planning on going to the staircase to listen in on the Order members, Harry was surprised when someone knocked. Smiling, Harry opened the door to see a blue-haired Tonks. She smiled back at him while remarking, "Someone's happy to go back to Hogwarts." Then: "Hey Harry, how are you?" and she gave him a quick hug. Harry was expecting the normal, "Wotcher Harry?" but the change was nice.

"H-hey Tonks," Harry said and her hugged the young lady back, before quickly letting go.

"Get everything?" Tonks asked as she headed over to Harry's opened trunk.

"Better have. I won't be back for a while," Harry said.

"Get mine downstairs as well, will you?" Draco said. His voice seemed to surprise an unsuspecting Tonks. She tripped over the truck making it wobble precariously before it fell over.

Objects slid across the floor while Tonks glared at Draco from her spot on the floor.

"Thanks for the warning, Malfoy," Tonks said as she stood. Draco wasn't listening Harry realized. In fact, Draco was too busy reaching down for one of Harry's scattered books.

A very familiar, tattered looking book.

Eyes widening with realization and horror, Harry jumped over to Draco's side just as the blond opened the book.

"No!" Harry snapped as he grabbed the book. It was the same one his older self had given him.

Staring at Harry, Draco gaped and then looked at Tonks. "Did you see that? You'd think I found his diary…."

Draco trailed off. Then a smile Harry _really _didn't like appeared on his face.

"Potter has a diary," Draco laughed and Harry forced himself not to sigh in relief. He chose not to speak and continued to put his possessions back in his trunk.

Let Draco believe what he wanted, as long as it did not cause any harm Harry was fine with it.

"Okay, that's enough," Tonks scolded as she stared in distaste at a still laughing Draco.

Harry carefully put the book back in the suitcase, and then shut the lid. Tonks made it levitate and they headed downstairs. "I'm going to say goodbye to my parents," Draco said as he headed down the hall to his parents bedroom.

As Harry went down the stairs there was a quick moment where he wondered if he had thrown away the half-eaten cheese sandwich he'd had earlier. If he hadn't, then in a day or two someone would have a nasty surprise waiting for them.

With a quiet chuckle, Harry reached the landing and thanked Tonks for her flotation charm on his trunk. Taking it down the steps would be a hassle.

"Where's my trunk? You brought it down here with Potter's right?" Draco asked Tonks as he came back down the stairs.

Harry got a glimpse of a few Order members in the kitchen before the door shut and blocked his view.

"I guess I forgot," Tonks said with a thoughtful expression. As Draco inflated in anger; Tonks gave him a quick grin, then headed for the kitchen.

"Cousin," Draco was grumbling. "I see nothing resembling me in her, from attitude to looks."

Harry noded and said quickly, "You're right. Your attitude is much worse."

The expression on Draco's face was worth the pain that followed as the blond hit Harry upside the head. "Stupid Potter," he muttered.

This bland insult just caused Harry to start laughing. "Did I brain damage give you!" Draco snarled. Then, realizing what he had said, Draco couldn't help but grin at himself.

Harry, now bent over with laughter, pointed at Draco and choked out, "What was that? I didn't quite c--catch it."

"Yes, yes, even I make mistakes."

The humorous glint in Draco's eyes told Harry that he was joking. At that moment, Harry wondered why he'd disliked Draco so much. When he was like this, time spent with him was actually enjoyable.

Sirius, Tonks and Professor McGonagall exited the kitchen.

"If you'll head to the nearest Floo, we can take our leave," McGonagall said to the boys. She headed toward the downstairs library and Sirius clapped Harry on the back while Tonks got Harry's trunk.

Reluctantly, Tonks waved her wand again and Draco's trunk came flying down the stairs.

"I'll see you at Christmas," Sirius whispered to Harry as he led him to the Floo. Harry smiled and held out his hand.

"Untill then." Sirius looked at Harry's outstretched hand for a second; then reached out to it and used it to pull Harry into a hug.

"Not too manly to hug your godfather, are you?" he asked with a chuckle. Harry shook his head and then was ushered into the Floo.

Tonks levitated Harry's trunk beside him in the Floo and then waved a cheery goodbye.

Calling out the address, Harry was whisked away to McGonagall's office and back to his true home. Somehow, Harry managed to stay on his own two feet after exiting the Floo. As he stood there, basking in the glory of not falling on his face--the Floo lighted up again and Draco came out of the Floo.

He bumped into Harry and they fell to the carpet. McGonagall came through the Floo next just to be rammed into the two chests the irrataited students had not moved out of the fireplace.

"Get up and get those trunks up to your rooms before I start deducting points!" she exclaimed and subtly rubbed her sore knee that had been brused on Harry's trunk.

Harry levitated his trunk and the reminder of all the spells he had to learn made him grin.

"Oh, Potter?" McGonagall called as Harry headed toward the door.

He turned around, "Yes, ma'am?"

"The headmaster wants to see you after you are done putting away your trunk," the Transfiguration teacher said.

Eyebrows crossed in confusion, Harry nodded and left the room. Was the headmaster going to tell him what Voldemort was doing?

One thing was for sure: in a few minutes, Harry was going to get the answers he wanted about a certain prophecy.

_**A/N: We made it to 600!**_ O_O Never expected that. **DarkAngel667 **made the 600th review, thanks! Chocolate to everyone, and flowers to those that can't have chocolate! (Roses or carnations, your choice). _**Also, **_you can see the _**brand new chapter **_of my Harry Potter fan fiction; Better Off Forgotten in a **few** **weeks**, by joining my yahoo group. Link is in my profile. **blackrhino, GinnysLove**, tee hee, yeah. That makes more sense, thanks. **jayley, tambrathegreat, Erurawien, **thank you and I loved your quote! **celena murdock, Aisucold, **He is a perfect little brat, isn't he? Lol, thank you! **goldentree, B00kw0rm92, desartratt, ams71080, **I'd love to, but writing one story is hard enough--even if it is exciting. **Cap'n Stella, **I'll have to think it over, but I must admit that Draco/Ginny made my ears perk up, lol. **desartratt, EelvenGirl, KuroitsukiNoMai, ImperialJedi, **Thank you! I did have a nice day, hehe. **Hobesan**, Oh, I am. **TheLastCrumpet, TheCresentMoonWriter, ancient midnight, White Water, La-p'tite-tete**, As long as he doesn't put on an apron. **hyper cell, **Thanks, I hope you read long enough to see this response! The Dark Mark was put on him without his consent, it is weaker because of this but it is still there. He is neither a DE or under a spell, and as for your second question, it's a typo. Because Draco was forced to do it, he can only be hurt if he did it by his own free will.


	27. Chapter 27: The Will to Live

The familiar walk to the Headmaster's office appeared to take longer then usual. It was disconcerting how the entire castle seemed to be in a sleeping state.

However, Harry knew if he was to head towards the Great Hall he'd be bombarded with students laughing and talking. He'd ate a rather early lunch, and now he was hungry again.

Thinking of food, he wondered what Dumbledore's password would be.

Harry had not thought to ask McGonagall, but perhaps he could guess like usual.

Half way to the office Harry passed a small group of students from different houses. A few appeared to be trying a little too hard appearing casual. Meanwhile, a Slytherin Harry only knew by looks; turned and whispered to three others.

The sight made Harry rather suspicious. He had never seen those students walking together before; perhaps they were in a club? Of course, the only club Umbridge would allow would probably involve knitting.

Harry quickened his steps. Knitting club or not, he didn't like the look on the Slytherin's face.

Reaching the gargoyles that guarded the staircase to Dumbledore's office, Harry took a deep breath. He'd named at least fifteen different sweets before he came across the correct password.

Feeling relieved, Harry climbed up stairs. Knocking on the hard door, he waited.

"Come in Harry."

Harry's eyebrows scrunched up in puzzlement. The headmaster sounded--depressed. It was not often you could come across the Headmaster of Hogwarts with any other attitude other then positive. That was one thing that made him so liked.

The positive energy was contagious.

Harry felt the beginnings of worry and fear in that moment. What exactly did Dumbledore want to talk to him about--and did he really want to know?

_Of course I do, _Harry told himself. His body didn't seem to agree as he never reached for the handle.

The door opened, and Harry looked up rather sheepishly into Dumbledore's face. "Forget how to use the handle Harry?"

Harry felt a slight blush enter his face and gave the man an embarrassed look. "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts."

Dumbledore nodded and waved Harry inside. "A habit that can cause many things, most of them bad for your person. Lack of sleep, negativity, paranoia, I don't think I need continue," Dumbledore said with a light smile.

"I'll pay more attention to my surroundings sir, sorry."

Dumbledore sat behind his desk. "You need not worry; we all get rather caught up in thoughts. I'm sure you have plenty to think about…sharing your worries with others can help."

Harry caught on to what Dumbledore meant. He was offering his ear to listen to Harry's troubles and thoughts. It was the perfect time to bring up the prophecy. Harry wasn't about to let it pass, he might not get the chance later.

"Actually sir, I had a question that I think you know the answer to. I'm just not sure if you'd be willing to share the information," Harry said slowly.

Dumbledore's face did not change, but the rest of him seemed to stiffen in alertness.

Harry continued without waiting. "I--I had a dream where Voldemort was looking for something." At the expression on Dumbledore's face, Harry stopped talking. "I think you know what I mean sir."

Dumbledore remained silent for a long time. His clear blue eyes staring emotionlessly at Harry' wary face. Harry began to wonder if he had phrased his words wrong. Or maybe; Harry started thinking with a wince, everyone but him new about this prophesy and Dumbledore was wondering how he could have mentored such an ignorant child.

Snape seemed to know something. Lucius and now his wife new a little as well. Harry bit his lip. He hated feeling ignorant.

The silence was smothering him. Harry had to speak. "Sir…please, I feel I need to know--_if _it involves me. I can't think of any other reason for you or the others to try to hold it from me."

Harry could hear the slight shift of Dumbledore's robes as the man's shoulders fell.

"Professor Snape informed me of your curiosity about the prophesy. Even though I was aware of it long before, I hoped you could pass this subject." Dumbledore smiled sadly.

"You aren't a child anymore, that much is obvious. Yet," Dumbledore paused. Sad eyes surveyed Harry's expectant stance and worried green eyes.

"Yet," he repeated, "I still find myself thinking of you as one."

Harry scowled lightly. He wasn't a child, hadn't he proved himself time and time again?

"I can see by your expression you misunderstand me." Harry did not deny the headmaster's words.

"Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a child because of a prophesy made shortly before your birth. He knew the prophesy had been made, though he did not know its full contents."

Engrossed in this, the answer to the question that had plagued him, Harry leaned closer.

"He set out to kill you when you were still a baby, believing he was fulfilling the terms of the prophesy. He discovered, to his cost, that he was mistaken, when the curse intended to kill you backfired. And so, since his return to his body, and particularly since your extraordinary escape from him last year, he has been determined to hear the prophesy in its entirety. This in the weapon he has been seeking so assiduously since his return: the knowledge of how to destroy you."

Harry stared at Dumbledore. Feeling sick, he swallowed and took a breath to speak.

"Now he has the prophesy…doesn't he sir?"

Dumbledore nodded. Harry sat back in his seat, and felt foolish for sitting forward so eagerly--just to find out that his mortal enemy knew how to kill him.

"But--sir, what did the prophesy say? We'll never know will we?" Harry said.

Dumbledore was shaking his head and holding up a hand even as Harry talked.

"The thing that Voldemort took was merely a record of the prophesy kept by the Department of Mysteries. But the prophesy was made to somebody, and that person has the means of recalling it perfectly."

Harry blinked, "You, sir?"

Nodding, Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past Harry to the black cabinet that stood beside Fawkes's perch. He bent down, slid back a catch, and took from inside it the shallow stone basin, carved with runes around the edges.

Harry stomach twisted at the sight. Occlumency lessons coming back to him, and the reminder of his father tormenting Snape, which had sent him running away to the Room of Requirement.

Where everything had started…and now he was here. Harry wondered why his future self had not told him any of this.

"I was going to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher. This applicant was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer. It was common politeness to meet with her. I was very disappointed. She obviously had no true talent in the art. As I was leaving, she began to prophesy."

Dumbledore walked back to the desk from where he had been standing next to the cabinet. He placed the Pensieve upon it, and raised his want to his own temple. From it, he withdrew silvery. Gossamer-fine strands of thought clinging to the wand, and deposited them in the basin.

He sat back down. Watching his thoughts swirl and drift inside the Pensieve for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he raised his wand and prodded the silvery substance with its tip.

A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses and she revolved slowly, her feet in the basin. But when Sybyll Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use once before.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches….Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…."_

Harry stared at the basin. Thoughts running rampart in his mind. What the hell does that mean? he asked himself worriedly. But Harry knew what he _thought _it meant. Yet, it seemed so wrong.

Him, Harry, skinny and so utterly human? Vanquish Voldemort? The world was doomed.

"Professor Dumbledore? What--what does it mean?" His quiet voice did not move Dumbledore. The man seemed lost in thought, thoughts deep and painful to think about if Harry went by his sad expression.

"It meant, Dumbledore said, "that the person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July, nearly sixteen years ago. This boy would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times."

Harry found it slightly difficult to breathe. Something like a metal fist curled around his heart and squeezed until he gasped a little.

"It means…me?"

Dumbledore surveyed him through glasses, and then nodded very slowly.

"How can you be sure?" Harry asked. He felt desperate, it wasn't fair he wanted to say.

"The prophesy makes me positive. The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal," Dumbledore responded.

Harry's hand went to the Dark Mark that seemed to burn at his hand closing over the sleeve. But Dumbledore was shaking his head and Harry drew a hand up to touch his forehead.

"When Voldemort gave you that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you powers and a future, which have fitted you to escape him not once, but four times so far--something that neither of your parents ever achieved."

Harry closed his eyes.

………………………………....

Harry sat in the Room of Requirement an hour later thinking over what he had been told. A fire blazed in front of him.

He sat in front of the fireplace on a small rug.

What he had been told, It was really a case of kill or be killed. "Not a lot of room to move with choices like that," he mumbled. Harry kind of wished for someone to respond. Maybe someone could help him figure these churning emotions out. He felt like a wreck.

Just as things got slightly better, they went on to become ten times worse. But wasn't that the way things were?

After the meeting with Dumbledore, Harry had snuck into the boy's dormitory. After fetching his cloak and the book from his future self, he retreated down here.

Now, it all seemed so pointless. Why had his future self tried to fix his future when it seemed obvious he would die anyway?

Harry looked at the book in his hands. It had helped him, made him do things he never would have done. Although, he thought, some things were not completely taken care of.

Umbridge was still around, he was not prefect at Occlumency…yet. However, there were good things that had come about. He had founds a different side of Snape he had not known existed.

Draco Malfoy now seemed more like an annoying little ferret than someone he would have happily pushed of a cliff. He survived Voldemort once again, and it was mostly because Draco had managed to fight the _Imperius. _

Not that I came away unscathed, Harry thought. His eyes drifted to where the Dark Mark was hidden by his sleeve. It did not bother him much, a few tingles made him jump now and then. It was the fact that he was marked as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters that bothered him.

He couldn't let anyone see it. So many had turned against him during second year just because he had the power of Parseltongue forced on him when he was a baby. He didn't even want to imagine all the people that would turn from him then.

Of course, the ones that new him would stick by him. Harry really didn't want to have to explain to the press, or any others what had happened. He didn't want to think about it himself.

Harry thumbed through the book. Draco had come very close to opening the book. Had he seen it, Harry would have to plead insanity--or say that he was a closet writer and this was his first novel in progress. Harry frowned, pleading insanity sounded more believable.

He knew what had to be done. Harry had already read the book the whole way through anyhow, most of it was memorized as well.

Frowning, Harry sighed slightly. Then, with a sharp movement he threw the book into the fire.

The only way to make sure his secrets were forever safe, was to make it so no one would ever find them.

He had been told to burn the book, now seemed like the time to do so.

Orange flames licked at browed pages. The book burned away to ashes before his eyes. Harry let out a breath, one less thing to worry with…and only a hundred or so left.

The door behind him opened. Harry stood up, blocking the few distinguishable remains of the book with his body.

Ron and Hermione looked at him, both of them appearing worried.

"Harry?" Hermione asked in concern.

"You're really pale mate," Ron said. His light colored eyebrows narrowed in thought.

"I'm fine," Harry lied, "I just learned some--well, disturbing news from Dumbledore."

Harry told them both what he had been told, then made them swear not to repeat it.

His friends were understandably shocked. Ron's freckles stood out against his pale face. "Bloody hell. Just…bloody hell," he muttered while shaking his head.

"That about sums it up," Harry muttered. "What am I going to do?"

Hermione spoke up a moment later. "You're going to fight him!" Her fierce voice made Harry jump. Looking at her with surprise, Harry shook his head.

"How?"

"You'll find out how, you just--have to Harry!" She sniffled and Harry looked away quickly.

Quietly, Hermione pulled Harry into a hug. "Oh, damn it all," Ron muttered before throwing his arms around Hermione and Harry.

They stood like that for a while. Taking comfort from each other was one of the many things friends were for.

"We'll figure something out," Hermione said.

Ron agreed with a nod that hit Harry's head, "We always do."

**Authors Note: **I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter written and posted. The last few months have been very busy. I'm happy to say, that I won NaNoWriMo with thousands of others much to my delight, and the first chapter of that story I wrote for NaNo is posted on this site! This is the last chapter of Come What May. Yeah, I'm horrible, I know. **BUT, **there will be a sequel, and I will try to knock your polka dot, covered socks off with it. Sadly, it will not be up for a while due to Better Off Forgotten (the NaNoWriMo story) and a few other stories. I'm sorry to leave you with this cliff hanger, really I am. It hurts you and me both, I'll try to get things rolling. If you like, check out my yahoo group for updates and first chapters. **Big thank you's to everyone that has stayed with me! **Chapters are being edited for mistakes and Americanisms, so everyone that has pointed stuff out and might think I'm ignoring it, I'm not. It has just been rather hectic. Thank you for your support! Scorpia


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